My Lady
by apple2011
Summary: The Cullens never came back to Forks and Bella has now moved on with her life. She is in a new place and has tried to forget the family which had consumed so much of her young life. Though that is all threatened the moment a certain pixie cut Cullen makes an appearance in her courtroom. Bellice
1. Her Honour Justice Swan

**Before someone comments I do know it is completely unrealistic and currently impossible, for someone in their twenties, late or otherwise, to be a Crown Court Judge in the UK, I just didn't think making Bella older was going to work. **

My Lady

I was sat in a tall revolving chair of green fabric, looking down upon a huge room. It began with a raised platform with my seat in the middle and one door to the left. This was the bench and mine which saw to the room's end which was simply two double doors. They were hard to see with a wood and glass dock in the middle. Ignoring the seats in the far left and right I turned my attention to the three benches just in front of the middle, the front of which were occupied today by two barristers. Both of whom were properly dressed but were not addressing a jury today, which would have been to their right.

"My Lady, I would like to make an application to dismiss all the charges against my client, the crown has insufficient evidence to even bring a case against Mr Smith." I looked down at the stern faced woman speaking in a rapid tone. I noticed her wig was slightly angled but said nothing.

"My Lady, we have DNA samples on the weapon used to break Miss Telis's leg along with several witnesses who say they were fighting in public less than an hour before the assault." The other man, also wearing a white wig, began looking annoyed. Of course he did, the claim would dismiss his entire case.

"The bat used belonged to my client, it would have been more surprising if his DNA was not on it!" she countered, I wanted to point out the DNA in question was blood and it had been held so tightly wooden splinters had buried themselves in Mr Smith's hand. The balding, stubby man in question was looking up at me from behind the glass walls of the dock.

I considered for a few long moments and then I frowned, adjusted my powdered white wig and spoke. Mine almost matched the ones the barristers before me wore but instead of curls which trailed downwards, just touching the back of the neck, mine was fluffed and just covered my hair. It and the trailing red robes, with long black straps running down it, were the attire of Judge. It looked very regal, but was hell in summer.

"Miss Blakely I'm not sure what ground your bringing this application forward, the crown from my position seems to have sufficient evidence to go before a jury." I pointed out, she was trying to confuse me and who could blame her. I was the youngest Judge serving in the country; I wasn't even thirty but was fortunate enough to get on a fast track programme straight from college, or university we say here.

Moving to Britain had seemed right at the time. I had spent much of high school since _him_ depressed but when it counted I put the effort in, the next thing I knew I had an offer from Cambridge University and moving just seemed right. So I had spent time studying, then I was a barrister with my own wig and everything, that lasted for five years and after two more years of extensive training I was appointed a Judge. Charlie still thought the Queen herself had presented me with the wig of a Judge, though the problem with being so young was many of the older barristers tried to take advantage.

"So I am going to dismiss your application, I will of course submit a ruling on this. Now are there any other matters you wish to discuss." I was suddenly hoping to get the morning off, my afternoon was going to be packed out with the plea hearing of a murderer. My first murder trial, I had been given the ticket not a week ago,

"Yes My Lady, I would like to make an application of bad character, I have submitted my skeleton argument already." The prosecution barrister rose and I held up the meaty brown file which contained the item in question,

"Yes, three counts of harassment, two of stalking and he has been arrested twelve times, all of them are related to actions which the police at the time believed to be related to domestic abuse. I have received this argument, Miss Blakely?" I questioned once again looking down at the woman,

"I fail to see how they would be relevant and would have a far more prejudicial effect than anything else. Whether or not it shows propensity the Jury will label my client an abuser immediately, this application would deny him a fair trial."

"My Lady, the application will not make this trial unfair. It will simply show to the Jury this man has a history of committing crimes of,"

"Of which he has never been charged with a violent offence!" Blakely rudely interrupted standing up and she earned the dirty look I threw at her.

"Let the Crown finish Miss Blakely. After careful consideration, under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 I have decided to grant the application of bad character as I believe it shows the defendant has a propensity to commit offences against women. Therefore it has substantial probative value. However I also agree that prejudice must be avoided, so the twelve arrests are not included in this application and cannot be mentioned at trial." I explained, thankfully having reached that judgement already. I waited for angry mutterings from either party.

"Now then, if there is nothing else I shall rise." I stated and after hearing no response I stood up and was joined by the rest of the courtroom.

"Be upstanding in Court," the black robed usher announced before sweeping through the room to hold a door open at the end of the bench. Then I took a breath and walked towards my chambers, though before I could sit down I was joined by my clerk.

"Good morning My Lady." Lizzie was her name, a law student of nineteen who worked part time, she had in her hand a very intimidating folder. I took it and placed on my desk, it was a mess now with cups, papers , pens and a computer which took up far too much space. The rest of the room was a world apart, a formal red carpeted room with an overflowing bookshelf on one side, bearing all the laws and case studies needed.

"You are fine to call be Bella in here." I smiled, My Lady was so formal but the Central Criminal Court had rules I supposed.

"I know but, people listen," she half whispered as I scanned the opening page. The Crown V Jane Tate, murder it was the case for the afternoon and finally I was getting the actual file.

"Whose Alice Brandon?" I asked aloud,

"She's a barrister just out of her pupilage, I saw her in the last trial. I thought she was very good,"

"Jane Tate, this is second trial isn't it?" I questioned, apparently someone had got to the Jury, the woman was accused of murder and yet there were no links to organised crime. Plus the woman was on legal aid! It was odd to say the least,

"Yes My Lady," Lizzie confirmed seeing someone briskly walk past the room.

"Thank you Lizzie, I'll see you later," I smiled while dismissing her and then turned to the file it was going to take some reading.

Crown V Jane Tate

"Be upstanding in Court," I slowly walked into the courtroom, the file in one hand and a muttered thank you to the usher was all that took up the time between me being seated and turning to address the courtroom. Then I froze, my eyes widened and for a second I was speechless.

Alice Brandon turned out to be a young looking girl, who must be using something to look old enough to be out of school, with a pixie haircut hidden behind a white wig, very fair skin and hazel eyes. Everything else looked... perfect.

"My Lady are you alright?" Lizzie turned to me with a concerned look and I took a breath, I nodded and began with a shaky start. What the hell was she doing here?

"Would the parties please announce themselves?" I asked eventually, glaring at Alice who was transfixed on me with the same look I had given her.

"I am James Peterson, representing the crown and my learned friend Alice Brandon appears for the Defence." A tall, thin man announced loudly standing, looking at Alice with a look that bordered on flirtatious. He was interested it seemed and had to fight a sudden urge to tell the well groomed man what he was getting into, though he quickly sat down and played with his wig. Brown hair was visible beneath it.

"Please proceed." I requested wondering just how I was going to deal with this, Alice was here! I had to get out of the trial but I couldn't tell anyone I used to be her friend. They would look at me and then her, sure I didn't look that much older but I did not look her age.

"Jane Tate you are charged with murder contrary to Common Law, the particulars of the offence are you, on the night of the twenty second of November, murdered Nicholas Chadworth. On this indictment how do you plead; Guilty or Not Guilty."

A middle aged woman with a mop of mousy reddish hair was standing, her frail frame and rounded face guaranteed a sympathy factor but to me there was something wrong. She wasn't a vampire that was clear but there was something else.

"Not Guilty!"

"I would like to make an application of bail," Alice announced recovering from her shock and rising, I looked actually shocked for a legal reason this time. I raised a hand to stop the prosecution from objecting.

"Miss Cul... Sorry Brandon, your client is charged with murder, I may have considered it but I remind you the last trial collapsed due to jury tampering. I cannot see reason why Bail should be granted." I stated immediately and Alice looked almost hurt, I almost felt bad for some reason.

"Miss Tate is an upstanding member of the community,"

"I'm sorry Miss Brandon unless you can offer me a substantial argument that both that your client will not be a danger to society if given bail, I remind you she is charged with a serious offence, and also that there is a minimal risk that the jury shall be tampered with again. Can you assure me of these things?" I asked sternly

"No," Alice stated somewhat reluctantly,

"No, what?" I asked feeling a need to do this, maybe it was spite but in fairness her entire family had left me without so much as a goodbye.

"No My Lady."

"In which case bail is denied. Are there any further matters?" I asked aloud and was met by silence, then I got to my feet.

"Be upstanding in court. All business before her honour, justice of this court, is concluded. God Save the Queen." The usher's words were half lost on me as I focused on what the hell had just happened. Alice Cullen had just appeared out of nowhere and suddenly my old life was catching up. It just couldn't be happening.


	2. Sworn In

My Lady

Alice Cullen, of all the people in the world, living or dead, why did I have to see her again? In the end I sometimes thought she had betrayed me worst of all, while her idiot brother, who better not be anywhere near here, had left me in the middle of nowhere. She had been my friend, my sister even and I got nothing; no goodbye, no note and no contact. There was nothing. Now I was stuck in a trial with her and more importantly she made this thing look even more suspicious. Something was going with the Jane Tate and it had bloody vampires wrapped up in it.

"Evening Bernard," I smiled at the doorman, thankfully wearing normal clothes this time. Just a dress and a tired face, my robes stayed in the court but my wig was the handbag drooping from hand. I lived in a fancy apartment building and Bernard, the smooth faced by gruff man was the guard. Hopefully he would call up if any of the Cullen's thought it would be a good idea to visit.

"Miss Swan," that was the least formally way I was addressed these days. Though it was a quick talk and already I was on my way, into the lift and then to my home, I looked around every corner half expecting to see someone appear. No one did.

Home was a spacious modern looking flat, four rooms in total. A living room containing a black leather sofa, or couch, along with reclining chairs of the same fabric and colour. A flat screen TV was built above an electric fireplace but neither were used much in the week. The kitchen was just around a marble table, making it look like I had a bar in my room, there was the equipment I used to feed myself from day to day. Though I went out a lot as well. A bedroom and a study were just down a wooden tiled hall; one was a dark carpeted room with a double bed, only I slept in it though I just needed the space. I had a single bookshelf in that room with my leisure reading material, though I had six of them in the study. All of them were ether law books, references, case studies or guidelines for me to follow in rulings. The oak desk with a computer on was filled with example applications and rulings, some were real and I just hadn't read them yet.

"Come on pick up the phone," I muttered deciding to ignore international charges for once and talk to someone who may have a shot at making me feel better. The line beeped for a while before ringing.

"Hello, Swan residence," A thick deep voice responded after a few long moments.

"Hey Dad," I answered and the voice exploded in delight.

"Bella! I didn't recognise you for a second there, how are you doing?" I didn't call too often but Charlie loved when I did and seeing as he had been the one to eventually get me out of that depression and convinced to me to go here for university, he could always make me feel better.

"I'm fine dad, what about you?" I asked with a smile, a shame he couldn't see it.

"You know I'm great Bella, I'm doing good, so what's my favourite Judge doing calling me at this time in a morning?" I had forgotten about the time difference.

"Its evening for me," my voice must have cracked a bit because he noticed and the next question took a more direct form, though it was one I suspected I had been hoping for.

"Are you sure you're ok Bella? Has something happened?" He asked quickly and I took a quick breath.

"I'm ok, it's just I ran into someone."

"Who?" he asked, while there was a great many people in London who hated me I didn't tell him about them. Though I elected to answer.

"Alice." I sighed and for a second I knew he was puzzled. Then it clicked.

"Wait Alice Cullen?" He questioned, he wasn't happy with any of them really. While he hated Edward he never really forgave any of them for just leaving, especially because I had been so close to them.

"What the hell are they doing there?"

"Well I'm not sure if all of them are here." I pointed out but I knew differently, they were a coven and I knew that somewhere in the city they were here. I wondered how they were going to react when Alice told them,

"Oh yeah, god she must be your age now. Are you ok about seeing her? I mean it could be worse." Edward's name was on the tip of his tongue but Charlie had pretty vowed never to speak it again, fearing I would go back into depression.

"I know, it's just... odd I'm not sure how to feel." I confessed, sometimes it was good to have someone to talk to. At least he knew some of the story.

"Well you don't have forgive her because it's been a while, she was practically an adult when they left, did she apologise?" he reminded me, he had a point there.

"No," I could Charlie growling on the other side of the line and it was nice to have someone who was been sharing my feelings.

"Well you don't have to take them back into your life if you don't want them there, trust me after what they put you through..." he trailed off and the sound of his radio flickered to life. Being an on call police chief had its issues.

"Ahh Bella, I'm gonna have to go but I'll call you back later, don't worry you'll be fine." His words of comfort were rushed and the next thing I knew he was gone. I put the phone down and sighed, then moved over to the living room and flicked on the TV. I wasn't exactly in the right mood to work.

Meanwhile- Alice

I arrived home in a bit of a mess, mentally that was. I was stunned, weeks of preparation had been thrown out the window with just one person. Bella Swan. I hadn't seen her in well over ten years and judging from the furious look I received she had not forgotten.

"Alice your home," Rosalie stated not even looking up, "And still wearing the wig."

I tutted and took the irritating thing off, I had ran home so I hadn't even realised I hadn't taken the thing off. It was great for the courtroom but not for fashion. Though Rosalie looked up and saw I was visible shaken.

"Are you ok Alice? You look... pale?" we always looked pale but I got what Rosalie was getting at and no I was not ok.

"It's about the trial," she nodded knowingly; we had all been pitching in for the last few weeks in an attempt to find a defence.

"Why what happened?"

"Well the Judge?" I began awkwardly, not quite knowing how to keep this quiet from Edward who would either react by running away or running too her, the second Bella would not appreciate.

"What, didn't like you? Scared you? Offered you sex? What?" Rosalie demanded irritably not knowing what to say. I took a breath.

"She was Bella Swan." I stated and for a second a distant look of disbelief passed over her face.

"She's what late twenties?"She scoffed and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes and she is a Judge, the same one who is presiding over the trial and guess what she hates me!" that was what was really bothering me. The look she gave me every time I spoke, how the hell was she going to remain fair. Then again it's not like she could tell anyone. She was too old I looked too young even now.

"You're being serious," Rosalie commented and I wanted to strange for a second, though there wouldn't be much point.

"Yes I am!" I exclaimed angrily "Bella Swan, the girl we abandoned because of Edward is now the same person in charge of the trial, one we don't really to lose for moral reasons!"

Rosalie looked conflicted for a moment and took a breath, this was bad very bad.

"How the hell are we going to explain this?" She asked the question I had been wondering all day. Since the moment I saw her, for the first time in so long and looked into those eyes which now held nothing. There was nothing in them except a mixture of distance and scorn.

The next day

"Be upstanding in court, all those with business before her honour, justice of this court, at the central criminal court stand now and give your attendance. God Save the Queen." I walked into the court as the usher spoke aloud the official start to all court proceedings. I took my seat and with a glance at Alice who was looking remarkably neutral.

"Is the jury ready to be sworn in?" I began by speaking directly to the black robed usher, she stood up to address me. Ready to get them in.

"Yes My Lady," she confirmed as I turned to the two barristers. Solicitors and police representatives were behind them.

"Do either of you have any objections as to who is able to serve on this jury?" I asked simply, Peterson rose first.

"The prosecution does not, My Lady," he confirmed before sitting back down and quietly began whispering to one of the people behind him.

"Miss Brandon?" I beckoned and she too rose, addressing me directly once more. I had to take a breath and tell myself to be neutral and follow the law. Something I had never had a problem with once, until now.

"I would like to request that no one from the community where Miss Tate resides be allowed to serve, they may have heard of some of her work and may of course be bias." I frowned; usually it would be the prosecution who made that sort of request, why did she want to exclude people who may have heard of her work. Though I had to agree of course, it perfect sense but why was she bringing it up?

"I agree Miss Brandon; no one within a five mile radius of St Martha's Square is allowed to serve on this jury. Before I have the jury sworn in is there anything else?" I inquired and was met by silence, neither side wanting to talk.

"Ok, Usher please bring in the potential jurors." As per my instruction around twenty people walked into the room, they would be selected at random in a moment but first I had to mention the exclusion.

"Ladies and gentleman may I quickly ask if you any of you live within five miles of St Martha's Square?" No one stepped forward and unless I wanted to look at all of their files I had to keep them.

"Thank you very much. Usher, please begin." The usher began reading names, those selected would walk over and take a sit in the jury box, the rest remained where they were and I saw both Alice and Peterson inspect each juror. Neither of them objected.

"I swear by almighty God that I shall try this evident truly, faithfully and according to the evidence," The jurors began reciting their oaths, there was on who swore by Allah and two others only on their honour.

"Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury, I would like to take this time to thank you for performing your civil duty today. I am not sure how long this trial will last, this being the second trial which was overstepping the time at the time of collapse. I apologise for the inconvenience of course." I started the usual welcoming speech for the jury.

"Now during this trial you will have to determine whether or not the defendant is guilty or not guilty of murder. You must be sure of this beyond all reasonable doubt, the law says this to ensure that only those who are entirely convinced of the defendants guilty may say guilty. I will be reminding you of this later in the trial." Though as I spoke I had to include some extra provisions as the last trial collapsed due to someone influencing a juror, well threatening but it was very similar.

"Now I must remind you that you cannot speak about this trial to anyone, you are also not allowed to mention this trial or research it on the internet. Though most importantly if anyone tries to speak to you about this trial then you must inform me immediately, also if you have any questions about this case or you are confused please write it down on a note and hand it to me. I would ask you not to speak during this trial; we have a lot to get through."

"We are going to take a short adjournment, in about an hour we shall reconvene and the trial shall begin. I trust neither counsel has an issue with this?" After receiving no response I rose.

"Be upstanding in court." With a slight bow I departed from the room and moved towards my chambers. Wondering just what was going to come next.


	3. Expert Witness

My Lady

I was in my chambers when she zoomed in, literally I had just sat down and removed my wig and Alice was just inside the door. My glare told her everything I hoped she needed to know, at least my stare was able to cause even her; a robed vampire, to flinch. She opened her mouth to speak but I held up a hand.

"Miss Brandon you are counsel in a current trial, you have no business here today, you might want to get ready for the speeches." I told her bluntly, using her fake name for emphasis while toying with my computer, I had a ruling to write up and this was the last thing I needed.

"Bella," Alice began awkwardly and I shot her another glare, there was no way in hell she was going to turn up here and pretend I still knew her. She could use titles,

"My Lady," she corrected herself and that was better. I continued to half ignore her existence, though it was clear she was not going to stop.

"That's better, now you might want to go; we have nothing to say to each other." I stated calmly, she had to go, now.

"Bella why are you being like this?" Alice asked suddenly frustrated and I was suddenly growling and my furious gaze shot in her direction.

"Excuse me Miss Cullen?" I snapped using her actual name to remind her just what I had lost all those years ago, my voice was practically shaking with fury.

"You heard me, what happened to you that made you hate us so much?" Alice demanded and my jaw threatened to spring loose with her very nerve, did she really not know? Had she already forgotten?

"If you want to take that complaint further submit an application to exclude me from the proceedings; if you wish to explain how you know me of course. If not get out and don't speak to me again unless you advocating." I snarled, Alice just glared at me though she was acting on instant anger. I had years of refinement.

"No, I don't understand ok! You knew we had to move on eventually, and if you had wanted to come with us you just had to ask. You didn't say anything and neither did the rest of the family so we left you, we didn't want to talk to you because we thought you needed a fresh start, if your angry about that then sorry." Oh my dear God, she really didn't know. It was almost funny if not beaten by the fact it was just depressing. I shook my head and just sighed before the young woman.

"Why don't you ask your charming brother about our last meeting, maybe then you might have a chance at understanding why I'm so angry with you all. Now if you don't mind, I have preparation to do and no interest talking to you." I told her slowly, darkly as if I was imposing a life sentence and Alice didn't move.

"Out now!" I barked the moment she tried to continue the conversation and reluctantly she complied and vanished. Leaving me with flaring nostrils and a very short temper.

Crown v Tate

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, I am here put simply in order to show you that the evidence that will be presented to you today does not meet the burden of proof. Indeed I will maintain that reasonable doubt certainly exists in abundance. Those words you must keep in mind throughout this trial, for the crown presents evidence which is barely able to link my client to the scene." Alice began her opening speech in tall booming tones which echoed around the silent courtroom. Captivating the jury who had been treated to tales of Miss Tate's rage at her boyfriend, how the murder weapon was covered in her fingerprints and how she had resorted to the last measure she could in order to get out of commitment. Violence was underlying throughout it.

"The murder of Mr Chadworth, who was indeed Miss Tate's boyfriend, occurred. We do not dispute this, nor do we dispute the crime scene was Miss Tate's place of residence, though this does not render her guilty, hundreds of homes are broken into each year and there is the weapon itself. Fingerprints of course exist, she owned the knife! It had been in her kitchen for a number of years and yet it was plunged in with enough force to shatter two of his ribs, look at Miss Tate. She is a young woman with no history of violence, who was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Alice continued, she was doing quite a good job. Though playing on emotions did draw my attention to the fact she seemed almost stuck, like there was more she wanted to say and yet she didn't. I supposed that was her business, thankfully not mine.

"The defence disputes that Miss Tate killed her boyfriend, she had been in loving relationship for five years and their future was only beginning. She had no reason to end it there, especially as Mr Chadworth had already purchased a ring and she knew her life as going to change. She has no motive, it is unlikely she could have even delivered the killing blow and having opportunity is not grounds for conviction. I urge you to see past that through this trial and at the end ask yourself if there is any doubt in your minds. If there is then you must find this defendant not guilty of this offence." Alice finished with a slight not to both me and the jury and then took her seat.

"The prosecution may begin," I had allowed the speeches to be done one after the other per Alice's request. She obviously wanted to make more of an effect than the one she would get at the end of the prosecution's case.

"The prosecution would like to call Doctor Carlisle Cullen." Peterson announced grandly and I sat forward slightly, did he now? Well I hoped Alice had warned him, hang on how in the world did no one realise he was technically her father. They must have hidden it well and the man seemed almost surprised to see me as he entered the room. I glanced at Alice who looked away.

"Before you begin Mr Peterson, am I correct in the knowledge that only Miss Brandon was present for the previous trial?" I apologetically interrupted just as Carlisle arrived in the witness box and was handed a glass of water.

"Yes that is correct My Lady," my question was confirmed and I nodded before gesturing for him to continue with his evidence in chief. So this trial had more than just one Cullen involved, I should have gone through the doctor's names rather than the just medical file. Though on the bright side now I knew for sure something was going on and the Cullen family was wrapped up deeply in it.

"Could you please state your full name and occupation for the court please?" Peterson inquired adjusting his horsehair wig and standing up. I looked at Carlisle whose eyes tried not to meet mine.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen and I am a surgeon at London Bridge Hospital," he confirmed neatly, yes that alone would get the jury to trust him. I listened while Peterson went through the usual greeting tactics before getting to the main event.

"You performed the autopsy on Mr Chadworth didn't you?" I was suddenly alert, leading questions were not permitted but I would let a few irrelevant ones slide. Carlisle for his part seemed relaxed and maintained a cool, calm demeanour as the questions were asked.

"Yes it isn't my usual area of practice but he was admitted to hospital and declared dead. I performed the autopsy as there was no one else on call to perform it." Carlisle explained slowly, I watched intently, knowing there would be something more to it.

"Could you please describe the injuries sustained to Mr Chadworth."

"He was stabbed once in the chest, two ribs were shattered by the impact and the blade pierced his heart."

"This was the cause of the Death correct?" Indeed Carlisle confirmed it as other questions about the victim were added; he was only really here to get across that this was a murder though the prosecution did indeed forget to mention how much force had been applied. At least in his opinion,

"Thank you Doctor Cullen I have no further questions but I am sure my learned friend will have some for you." Peterson finished in about half an hour, only the usual questions were asked and he did manage to slip in a few about the doctor's history. Though all that became clear was the victim died of a knife to the chest, sometimes I did wonder why we persisted with the doctors and their evidence but the prosecution wanted to make everything clear this time.

"Doctor Cullen, how much force does it take to shatter a rib?" Alice's greeting earned a roll of my eyes but it was effective.

"Relevance My Lady." Peterson tried to interrupt and I shot him a dark glare which shut him up, there was no way he was even going to try that one with me. That question was indeed relevant.

"Please answer the question Doctor Cullen." I requested almost gently needing to at least for a witness.

"Quite a considerable amount I must say," Carlisle nodded as he spoke and that told me Alice and he were working together on this to a large extent. The question was why?

"Would you agree that it would require a great deal of force to shatter not one but two ribs while also piercing the heart?" Alice continued and I knew where she was going, I assumed so did the jury.

"Yes I would agree." He announced in a slow, booming voice which was going to have more of an effect on the jury than any of his previous evidence.

"Do you think Miss Tate would be able to apply it?" Peterson shot up before I could even speak. That question I was not happy with, though neither was the other side.

"My Lady, this witness is not an expert in Miss Tate's capabilities, nor does he know her personally. He cannot be reasonably expected to answer that question." Alice looked to me but was cut off before she could speak.

"I agree, Miss Brandon either rephrase that question or move on." I ordered in tones that bordered on harsh and the woman reluctantly did.

"Let me rephrase that question, Doctor Cullen what sort of build would someone need to apply such force." That was a much better question thankfully and merited no objections.

"They would need a strong muscle structure and high level of physique to apply it easily." Carlisle answered and Alice thanked him before sitting down.

"Re-examination My Lady," Peterson requested standing up. I nodded in his direction to confirm he could do so though I doubted he even noticed.

"Just quickly Doctor Cullen, anger or more crudely rage does can bring out sudden spurts of strength correct?" I was alert, unsure of whether or not this would journey into theory. Carlisle looked awkward.

"It can cause a release of adrenaline yes," he stated losing his calm demeanour for the first time.

"So a person with repressed anger, who had built it up for years, could have sudden bursts of strength which would be almost out of the confines of their character?" Peterson continued and his question made Carlisle hesitate.

"It is possible," was all he would say and with that his time in court was over. It had lasted little over an hour which I doubted would be the same for the rest of the witnesses. Hopefully the others might also shed some light as to what was going on.

"The next witness the prosecution would like to call is Doctor Esme Platt." I couldn't put more scorn into the look I shot at Alice as her adoptive mother walked into the room.


	4. Contempt

My Lady

Esme Cullen looked just as amazed as Carlisle when she entered the witness box, her eyes didn't leave me once. She looked exactly the same and I realised she would attract attention for me and her if she didn't hurry up and start addressing the prosecution. I turned to her, raised my eyebrows and looked down.

"Please direct your answers to counsel or jury," I requested softly deflecting suspicion before anyone started asking questions, she turned around. Her pale hands were then crossed and she looked dead ahead with nothing but caramel locks waving.

"You are Doctor Esme Platt are you not?" Peterson asked quickly, it was nearly lunch and he wanted to hurry the show along. It was far too clear he thought this would be a victory no matter what, then again as far as I could see Alice would need to work a miracle to defend Miss Tate.

"I am and I specialise in the effects of long term and short term domestic abuse on women," So she was here to make out Jane Tate to be a vengeful premeditator who planned this entire attack because she wanted out of an abusive relationship. At least that was the prosecution's argument, the fact she was a Cullen complicated things. Something more was going on and the Cullen's were wrapped up in the middle of it.

"I see, you worked with Miss Tate for two weeks didn't you,"

"I did on the courts direction." Esme confirmed and I looked down, I was interested as to just how she was going to play this.

"Now you found..."

"Mr Peterson, leading questions are not permitted during an evidence in chief, I would bear that in mind and rephrase that question." I advised slowly, loudly. He was certainly not going to continue this for long.

"I'm sorry My Lady," Peterson raised a hand apologetically "Doctor Platt, could you describe your hypothesis to the Jury."

"I believed the defendant had been suffering long term abuse from her partner, I found her to be scared of indications towards violence and yet her denial of the abuse gave me the very clear ability to judge she was ashamed. This is very common in abuse victims."

"I see and when you say ashamed what did that mean for her and her actions." This was rare, the prosecution demonising the victim, though why Alice didn't have the girl plead guilty to manslaughter by provocation was beyond me. It would have a brief spell imprisonment or a suspended sentence if this Nicholas Chadworth was as bad as the prosecution was making out.

"I believe she would have been filled with resent and the fact she felt shame makes it likely she was building up anger that someone was able to do this to her. The murder I believe would have been a result of this." Right I was almost officially lost, Esme seemed to be painting domestic abuse victims as dangerous lunatics and saying that she was in complete control of her actions. I was half tempted to suspend the trial and demand to know what the hell they were playing at. All of them.

It wasn't until a few questions later when I saw it, the Jury were looking at Esme with what bordered on disgust and then I worked it out. She was supposed to act like this, to demonise a victim would make a jury lose faith in her and then Alice's point of this abuse never having occurred may go down rather well.

"So in confirmation I believe Nicholas Chadworth was her abuser, he seemed to control every aspect of her life and reached new depths in violent and sexual depravity."

"LIAR!" what? A voice screeched across the courtroom, throwing me off guard just for a few seconds and a woman was sat upright screaming. I pointed at her and saw the dock officers rushing out of the defendant's glass cell and towards her.

"Nick was a good man you pathetic bitch, he never hurt that murdering whore!" the hysterical woman was suddenly restrained and I held up a hand to pause her removal.

" Mam, I find you in contempt of criminal court and you shall be held in the cells for the remainder of the day's proceedings!" I had to roar in a voice to get above her high pitched yelps.

"Get her out!" I waved my hand upwards and the woman had to be dragged from the room, she was screaming all the way. I turned to Lizzie who was just as shocked as me. The prosecution looked half terrified, Alice concerned and Esme bewildered.

"Clerk who was that?" I asked Lizzie ,

"Alexis Chadworth, she is the defendants' sister." Lizzie had been in the last trial and seeing this happen twice must not have been good for her. Well I hoped four hours in the cells would clear her mind.

"Court will adjourn until after lunch, the jury shall disregard the comments made from the public gallery, which is closed until further notice." I announced in a final, furious tone. I nodded to the usher.

"Be upstanding in court," the usher declared eventually, I rose and left the room in a huff. After Esme playing the role of expert for Alice and now an angry relation, it was just infuriating. This trial needed to be ended and quickly.

Crown V Tate - Day two

"Be upstanding in court," I walked back into the room after filling and thankfully calming lunch, I number of my fellow Judges had asked me to repeat the sister's performance over and over again. It wasn't overly common but it happened.

"The public gallery was to be closed until further notice, please clear it usher." I instructed seeing my words had evidently been forgotten, though I saw a striking tall woman about to slip away and I caught a glimpse of wavy blond hair.

"She's my daughter," an elderly woman protested from the gallery and I was suddenly in no mood for arguing.

"The disruption caused earlier needs to be assessed, I will open the gallery when it is appropriate. Now leave or do you wish to be held in contempt?" I offered harshly, in no mood for this. The woman reluctantly left as did a number of others.

"The press are included in the public gallery." I nodded to the reporters who had been scribbling the barest details down. They looked ready to protest but they quickly hurried out of the room before the dock officers got to them/

"Usher please would you give a completed copy of this afternoons log to the press. This is not a secret court." I half asked, half enforced before turning back to the jury.

"The Crown has no further questions." Peterson declared before I could begin. I motioned my head and he sat back down, conversing with one of the many people behind him.

"I apologise for the earlier disruption, we shall now hear from Miss Brandon." Alice got to her feet

"Doctor Platt you did not qualify in the United Kingdom did you?"

"My Lady I fail to see how this is relevant." The prosecution were on their feet before Alice could finish her sentence,

"Please be direct Miss Brandon, however I shall allow the current line of questioning. Which the witness will answer." I answered not even needing to think about that to any great extent.

"No I didn't, I earned my PhD in the United States." Esme answered, I was now paying a lot more attention. Knowing she was not on the side of the prosecution.

"I see and you worked with my client for two weeks didn't you?" it was more of a statement than a question but she was allowed to do that in cross examination.

"I did,"

"How many times did you see her?" Oh Alice was playing the incompetence card, not a terrible idea.

"Two maybe three times, for about an hour each." Ok Esme was incompetent but I supposed she was acting for Alice's sake, or at least I hoped so.

"Well you certainly are an expert for someone who has hardly seen her." Peterson drew up to full height but I gestured for him to sit down.

"Please ask questions Miss Brandon," my order was clear and Alice muttered something in apology.

"I have seen this sort of thing before," Esme spoke without prompt and I saw a smile spread across Alice's face, it was going to plan then. Whatever it was.

"I know and how many of those victims killed their partners?" That was a dangerous question indeed, the jury might think Alice was accusing her client.

"None that I can recall,"

"So my client is a unique case to you and you suddenly know everything about her?" Alice's hand jumped up in the air slightly and Esme was doing a good job of looking flustered. She made a few noises and the prosecution sighed to himself.

"You don't even know if she was abused do you Doctor Platt?" Alice demanded

"I can assure you," Esme attempted to begin.

"She denied it the entire time she was with you and she reacted badly to indications of violence, she was under arrest at the time and in custody so surely nerves could be the reason she acted this way." Alice stated and I waited for Esme to either deny or confirm it.

"Possibly but."

"The real reason you say she was abused it because you don't believe in the idea love can exist do you."

"My Lady my learned friend is jumping to while speculation," Peterson protested and I shot Alice a disapproving glare.

"My Lady if I can show the jury that this Doctor's beliefs have blinded her to my client then that is relevant to this case." Alice answered and I knew what she was going to say.

"I can back it up," she confirmed and I sighed.

"Continue but I will be watching you closely Miss Brandon." I warned before moving back into my chair.

"You wrote a report did you not, saying that males are not able to experience the concept of love?" Alice asked holding a paper in her hand, Esme looked flustered and I was already annoyed. They were playing me, the jury and the prosecution.

"I did but the circumstances were."

"You had just come out of an abusive relationship hadn't you?" What was this?

"Well.."

"Your former partner was arrested for beating and sexually assaulting you, he is currently serving eight years in the United States. Your experiences have made you hate men haven't they?" Alice was on thin ice now and I was not happy. Not one bit.

"I don't hate men, I just hate what they do."

"You didn't even consider the fact my client was nervous because you were too blinded by the abuse you suffered, you are demonising the victim and blaming Jane Tate because you think killing an abusive man is justifiable."

"Right that's enough!" I cut her off there and turned to the Jury "That comment about the witness justifying killing will be disregarded. Miss Brandon sit down," Esme was doing a very good job of looking upset and yet there was something false about it, at least in my opinion.

Everyone was looking at Alice with shock horror apart from me,

"Miss Brandon, you will sit down. This cross examination is over and the witness is dismissed. I would advise you not to push your luck any further. Now court is adjourned, dock officer you may release the woman held in contempt in half an hour when the witnesses and the counsel are no longer around. Tread lightly Miss Brandon." I continued with one last dark look at Alice before rising.

"Be upstanding in court." I ignored seemingly everyone as the closing remarks were made and I rushed off to get changed. Even more annoyed than last time at the audacity of Alice to set up a witness like that . Something was going on and I thought furiously about it from that moment the moment I left the court and prepared for the journey home.

I moved quickly not wanting to bump into Alice or anyone else and then as I was walking a truck pulled up alongside me. A red orangey truck, one I recognised from somewhere and I paused. It did recognise it, but must have been done up since then as I couldn't place it anywhere. I just knew I'd seen it before and if driving was possible in this city without the charges and traffic I would consider buying it. The window rolled down.

"No way!" I stated with a smile as I looked in the window, there was just no way this was going on. Of course I knew the truck, in the same way I knew the person driving it.

"Hello Your Honour, I heard your having some problems with a few bloodsuckers." Jacob Black flashed me a grin from the wing mirror.

"Wolf boy, you have no idea."


	5. Old Faces

My Lady

"So how is her ladyship?" Jacob began his usual protective questioning the moment we hit the London roads, it being the city centre meant one thing. Traffic, giving him ample time to begin.

"I'm fine Jacob, having a bit of trouble with the defence." I was calmer now, Alice's behaviour today was just over the top. If I could I would have denounced both experts as her parents and thrown her in the cells, unfortunately if the Crown Prosecution Service hadn't noticed then it was likely they had already covered themselves.

"Yes, the bloodsucker." He had known about them, it was actually him who had kept a bit of that magical world in Forks. Werewolves, far more reliable than vampires but they didn't want to keep me. Well Jacob did but the others thought I should have my own life, in fact it was Billy who convinced me to apply abroad, Jacob hadn't been happy at first but we still saw each other.

"Alice," I corrected, even now I wasn't a fan of slurs "Yes she's the defence for a case, and she's playing the entire system."

"Why?" Jacob wondered aloud and he just asked the question I had been needing an answer to all day.

"No idea." I said through gritted teeth, "It makes my job a lot harder. Anyway I don't want to talk about the Cullens, I'll meet with her tomorrow." Being a Judge had caused me to slip in and out of the habit of talking aloud. I could hear Jacob growl.

"Make a comment about safety and I'm walking home, anyway what are you doing here? This isn't your usual area of comfort." He didn't leave Forks often which unlike Charlie I put down to him being part of a tribe and not set in his ways.

"I thought it was time for a visit, I was talking to your Dad about it,"

"Normally a visit isn't so surprising, at least not on the I'll just pull up in front of a court level of give Bella a heart attack." I replied with a heightened chuckle.

"I was going to call, then I heard about the bloodsuckers, I'm not going to see them hurt you here." Typical Jacob, always putting me first and despite myself I smiled. I didn't say anything though, I'd probably make myself look foolish. Instead I laid back into the seat, it hadn't changed since high school.

"Charlie mentioned it!" Of course he and Billy discussed everything and Jacob nodded in confirmation before being sworn at from afar.

"What did I do?" he shouted out of the window towards a driver who had come to a stop a few feet in front of us,

"You existed, drivers here like to be quick and not bother with trucks. You also need to drive on the left." I sighed and Jacob shrugged me off.

"So you hear the word Cullen and you immediately packed you things, got the truck and flew across the Atlantic." I stated with a smile after a few seconds,

"Did you really think I wouldn't?" Jacob posed, he was committed if nothing else. "Besides we needed to catch up."

"We do, tell you what as to a tourist these roads might as well be a maze, pull over up there. There's a bar some of the Judges and barristers frequent, I need a drink." Yes after today I needed something, something very strong and powerful to wipe away the fury.

"She's that bad?" Jacob sounded almost surprised, I supposed in all of my time I had hated Edward the most, Alice I barely mentioned.

"In court yes, the doctor's for the prosecution. It's bloody Carlise and Esme!" I exclaimed the anger coming back.

"The parents? Is that allowed?" Jacob looked to me.

"No, but I can't do anything unless I exclude the evidence. And I need reasonable grounds to do so, at the moment the only the reasonable thing I can do is bloody strangle her. She is playing Russian roulette with a woman's life and I don't know why." I seethed and Jacob let me speak. Not even needing to say anything, what mattered was he was there.

"But enough about me and trying to double kill vampires, I need a drink."

Alice

"Ugh, why are we here again?" Rosalie moaned as I led her in to one of the more refined venues in the city, by which I meant a number of people in suits sipping sherry and red wine. There was a bar, kept pristinely polished and a selection of other barristers. Me and Rosalie were the youngest by far but we were here for a reason. We needed to meet someone,

"Alice can you smell that?" Rosalie asked and yes I could, a wet dog smell had invaded my nostrils. Though _they _couldn't be here, no it was probably a Judge who had just taken his dog for a walk before a rewarding drink.

"Yes," I muttered looking around, where was he?

"Miss Brandon," the smiling, hopeful face of the prosecution James Peterson came into view, Rosalie stiffened slightly at the way he looked over us.

"Mr Peterson, this is my friend, Rosalie."

"A pleasure," his eyes flashed in approval "And please call me James, reserve the titles of Justice Swan." I shuddered, he was flirting but I supposed if it could help then.

"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you. It's about the trial," I flashed him a sweet smile which prompted him to raise his eyebrows,

"What about it?" he asked slightly on guard but thankfully Rosalie had come dressed in a stunning red dress with fewer buttons so his attention was elsewhere. I was then nudged on the shoulder.

"Look, we both want this matter out of the way and we also know that the CPS wants this case off its hands,"

"I'm not dropping the charges I have a reputation," Peterson spoke grandly as Rosalie tapped me again, I ignored her. We needed him to work with us on this, no matter what the cost.

"Well I didn't say drop the charges, but perhaps if your case should end sooner rather than later." Rosalie suggested and I almost hit her, she wasn't supposed to talk!

"Are you part of the defence team?" He questioned

"She's a solicitor, hoping to convert next year. Look I need this case off my hands." I pleaded putting on big pouty eyes and the man looked at me in a way that made me shiver.

"Perhaps we could come to an arrangement." He began and for a second I thought we had him on our side

"No I'm sure you couldn't!"A voice hissed and suddenly that wet dog smell was back in full force and I turned and gaped, Bella was stood there. Dressed in a formal looking dress but carrying herself with a ferociousness and stance which made her glow.

"Justice Swan! I'm not sure what you just heard." Peterson looked ready to soil himself at Bella's shaking gaze.

"Enough, Peterson get out, I'll mention your weakness to the CPS and as for you Miss Brandon." Bella fixed me with a deathly glare as Peterson looked ready to either run or protest.

"I'd move." It was the dog, Jacob Black was stood behind Peterson, towering above him and the barrister took one look and scarpered. Indeed many would, he had changed since I had seen him last. Jacob Black stood even taller with a bulky frame almost tearing with well define muscle. His face was cool and relaxed, dark black hair shone in the light and a devilishly handsome face was attracting the attention of far too many women.

"Alice, that was perjury, thankfully he was only trying to get into your pants and I doubt he would do it, though that's for the CPS to decide. You have crossed a lot of lines today Miss Cullen, you will appear tomorrow in my chambers we need to have a talk."

"Bella?" Rosalie looked dumbfounded when comparing the stern, angry woman before her with the shy girl she knew before.

"What are you doing with him?" I asked casting the burly figure a glare, he was out of place to say the least with his informal clothing. His body

"He's a friend, now I would advise you to get out of my sight. If I have any reason to believe that either of you two actively conspire together then I will drag you to the cells myself. Do I make myself clear?" I noticed the wolf look at Bella with something bordering surprise. Indeed no one had ever imagined sweet little Bella Swan becoming an angry, almost terrifying Judge.

"Yes," I confirmed. Bella looked up at Rosalie,

"If I even see you within a mile of my courtroom, or the prosecution Barrister I will have you and your sister on charges of perverting the course of Justice. Vampire or not I'm not giving you allowances here." The threat was low and Rosalie looked ready to fight. I grabbed her by the arm, we moved away and all the while I was wondering if Bella knew exactly what she had just done. Maybe she needed to know, maybe not.

Bella

"Wow," Jacob commented as he watched Alice and Rosalie scamper away "next time I might get you to deal with the bloodsuckers." I couldn't help but smile at that, it diffused some of the rage building inside me and I walked him over to the bar.

"What do you want?" I asked after ordering myself a wine, he withdrew his wallet.

"Firstly I'm the one with the large salary so I'm paying, plus those are dollars, these are pounds." I smirked and Jacob almost hit himself, he had forgotten the simplest currency. Paying by card was how he got here I supposed, or I thought. I supposed werewolves could move in mysterious circles.

"Fine," he muttered and I handed him a beer, we moved to a table. We broke into chatter, I asked about my dad, Billy, the tribe and all the others in Forks who I still missed. A few of them were doing quite well, though it appeared Forks High School was so proud of me they had my example on the wall. Well I was famous in some circles.

"So are you back with them tomorrow?"

"Yes and tomorrow I'm going to get some answers." I growled, the defence had been playing me for too long now. I was not going to take another second and the fact they tried to play the prosecution even though both Alice and Rosalie were married just proved to me something bigger was going on behind the scenes. It was practically confirmed and I was going to find out, or die trying.

"What about the other one?" Jacob inquired darting around the name and on instinct my eyes darkened.

"Edward I haven't seen, nor do I wish to. I have had enough with his sisters and parents, "

"I thought he would come running." Yes Jacob had a point, Edward was the sort to charge over, maybe he didn't actually know what was going on. At least with me, I supposed Alice wouldn't have told him easily but he could still read minds.

"So did I," I confirmed taking a sip, it was bitter and yet drinkable.

"What are you doing to do about..."

"Report the prosecutor to the CPS, they'll probably forget and Alice well... I can't do much to a vampire who is throwing the principles of Justice up in the air. Though I might have a way," Perhaps I needed to make it clear to Alice what was at stake here, get an explanation and then work out just how to proceed.

"Well I'll be there," I paused and looked around, I didn't want anyone overhearing this.

"You can't courts around here are a bit more secure," They wouldn't just let me take Jacob in without a lot of notice and it was very hard to smuggle in someone whose arm was bigger than you.

"What about public seating?" He was determined to make sure I was ok and I nodded, knowing from that second he would be there every second.

"Fine, but I warn you. You might have a lot to contend with." I smirked, a woman was coming over, a barrister almost twice Jacob's age. Holding another drink, she was somewhat good looking I supposed and practically licking her lips when looking at him.

"Good evening Justice Swan and I don't think we've had the pleasure," she batted her eyelids at him and I took a long drink to hide my smile, it was threatening to explode.

"This is Jacob Black, a family friend." I introduced while Jacob looked suddenly awkward at being flirted with by this older woman, he cast a glance at me and I looked into my drink. He was half stunned, half terrified and I was loving every second of it.

"Sit down, I'm sure Jacob would love to meet you." I commented trying my very best to keep a straight face.

Alice

I half crept through the furnished hallways of the Judge's chambers, the clerks and staff were not kind to those they caught creeping around, I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to be here. Though I knocked on that imposing wooden door none the less, not sure just how this conversation was going to play out.

I could smell the wolf but he wasn't in the building at least not yet. He was around, I suppose I had a chance to talk to Bella. I wasn't going to tell her everything, it would compromise her even more and despite the fact she hated me, I didn't want her in the firing line. Not for my mistakes.

"Come in," Bella Swan's darkened voice ordered.

**Just to quickly clear up some points, a few people mentioned that Bella was letting Alice getting away with going to far and you are right. Though I need to mention Judges in the UK have to write up and explain their rulings (not included in detail within this fiction) and as Bella can't explain how she knows Alice and her parents it would be hard for her to imply it. Plus she also knows that something else is going on and wants to find that out first. Any other issues please let me know, thank you for reading.**

**Regards**

**Apple**


	6. Aspects of the Truth

My Lady

I observed sternly as Alice walked in, she looked rather humble this time and I slowly placed down my pen, silently grateful for an excuse to stop work. Though a dark feeling overcame me the moment she actually sat down, my usual glare of contempt threatened to take over but lessened with a sigh the moment I saw her pouty eyes.

"Yesterday I caught you trying to influence a prosecution barrister, a weak willed and foolish one but the point stands. I don't know what the hell you think you're doing here but your juggling with a woman's life and I want to know why." I spoke the words softly but with a degree of firmness. Alice took a breath but I raised a hand to cut her off. I hadn't finished, I had been thinking the words over all morning.

"I also want to know why you are having your own family appear as witnesses for the prosecution, trials are shows but I don't want them staged in the way have done so, lowering yourself to perjury, lying and perverting the course of justice. So explain." I ordered reclining back, we still had quite some time before court would begin. Alice for her part simply took a long breath,

"Bella," I allowed her to use my name this time, there was no point in vindictively making her refer to my title when we weren't in court.

"I can't tell you too much, you're a Judge and I can't compromise you any more than I already have." She began and I just looked her up and down, was she serious? She had already compromised me entirely and I was half tempted to say that.

"Listen me and, the others, we need to help Jane." She used her first name. There was something else in her voice, a fondness perhaps? I wasn't sure but it was almost a reminder.

"Why?" I asked getting the sudden feeling I wasn't going to come out of this knowing more, it might actually leave me knowing less if anything. Alice looked awkward and thoughtful for a while.

"I don't want to tell you Bella, it's really not something you want to hear." Alice was slowly working her way back into my contempt.

"Alice I hear bloodcurdling murders, chilling rapes and everything in between, I can handle whatever it is your going to say." I told her darkly, she looked down to the floor. I already knew I wasn't going to like whatever she was going to tell me.

"No!" She decided "Look what happened is something that really shouldn't have come before a court but if the details get out then.."

"I can be discreet." I interrupted not too sure who she was trying to protect other than this Miss Tate, nor who would find out if I told anyone.

"It's not you I'm worried about any more." Who was she scared of?

"Then who?" I received no answer and then reclined into my chair even further. I was clear Alice was being evasive the question was why.

"Fine, Alice I want you to get your client to plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation, Peterson would agree to anything if I perhaps neglect to mention his actions to the Crown Prosecution Service. I shall sentence and your client will get no more a few years in prison."

"She doesn't deserve that!" Alice was on her feet looking taken aback and I wondered just what she was playing at.

"I'm not going to see her go to prison for something she didn't do!" Alice declared solemnly letting her guard slip up for just a moment.

"Then who did it?" I asked, Jane Tate could end this if she only gave the name of the real killer. Alice didn't say anything,

"She doesn't deserve this, she's scared and she wants to do nothing more than protect..." she trailed off and then sat down.

"Protect?" I questioned.

"She's didn't do it, she's not going to prison."

"If she's found Guilty I have to impose a life sentence." The law required it, all murderers received a mandatory life sentence. Alice was playing Russian Roulette with a woman's life.

"But you know now!" Alice affirmed but did I. While I had no reason not to believe Alice at the same time I had no reason to believe her. I had read the case files and evidence existed, I knew the Cullens to be loyal so how did I know they weren't covering. Though even thinking it made it sound false, I doubted the Cullens would do something like that, though their actions did not explain what was going on.

"And what can I do about it? I need justification to do anything! There is a case to be heard and her innocence is a matter for a jury. Alice you have to tell me what happened." I needed to know now.

"No I've done enough, please Bella help me here. I just can't let her to go to prison, but no one can know the truth." Ok Alice was torn between two people, it was clear to me.

"Why what is the truth?" I demanded. Alice shook her head and ignored my question.

"I have to help her, please Bella help me I don't know what else to do." She was actually tearing up and I resisted the urge to hug her. I was thrown.

"Alice just tell me, I'm sure I can do something if I know." Alice just looked at me with teary eyes and shook her head, then she was gone and I was left in the room alone. Completely shocked.

Crown V Tate - Day Three

"Yesterday certain comments were made regarding the opinions of Dr Esme Platt, now her opinions are her own and it is up for to decide if they have influenced her judgement. That I am not going to dispute, however the very idea she has perverted her judgment as a way to strike back at men is not to be taken into account. I can tell you Dr Platt was once in an abusive relationship thought it is a huge jump to suspect she hates men and love. The prosecution Barrister as many of you may have noticed is man, as are the dock officers and of course many of you. Miss Brandon's comment until that point are relevant but the final one is to be disregarded." I spoke loudly and clearly to the jury who looked at me with varying degrees of interest. Some were bored and others were not, I just had to be clear.

"Now that speech may have saved the court of appeal earful pending either result, so I'll hand back to the Crown." My eyes wandered over to Jacob who was sat in the public gallery watching Alice's every move, he was tired though. He had stayed the night on the sofa after I had to drag him away from another barrister who I think gave him her number, I had teased him about it all morning and intended to continue.

"Thank you, the Crown would like to call..." I relaxed into the trial and noticed Alice's questions rarely reached the level she had questioned Esme on, it was concerning and quickly I came to the conclusion that she had something up her sleeve. Something I was going to hate.

Jacob

"What are you playing at bloodsucker?" I went over to that thing the moment Bella called for a break, the prosecution had questioned two doctors and one police officer, _she_ had simply attacked their credibility but not very much. She looked at me, holding that powdered white wig in one hand.

"What are you doing here? I thought your kind stayed in their packs." she growled with utter disgust in her eyes, she had some nerve judging me.

"We also look out for our own, which is more than can be said for you." We were walking down the quiet corridors of the courtroom, no one else really paid us any attention. I had watched the bloodsucker defending this person and wanted to know why she was ruining someone else's life.

"Bella is not one of you." That hurt, Bella had left us but at the same time she I felt my blood heat.

"She's not one of you either, I think your brother leaving her on the forest floor stopped that." The pixie cut vampire froze, an actual look of shock overcame her and when she turned her mouth was slightly agape. It was almost like the venomous thing didn't know.

"What?" She asked, no she didn't know .

"Didn't you know? Your bastard brother took her into the woods, told her he didn't love her and then left her. Alone for anything to get him, she didn't get a goodbye, she didn't get anything from your kind." I spat and she looked like I had hit her with every word. She said nothing.

"She was depressed for months, sitting in her room not talking, hardly eating and isolating herself with every passing second."

"No, Bella should have..." She began suddenly oblivious to the world around her,

"She just got out of her depression, just. I had to keep watch on her once because some of us were so scared she would start self harming or worse." Oh this thing didn't even know how hard it was, how hard it was to watch someone you love slip lower and lower, with nothing you could do.

"She came here for a fresh start, trust me she needed one. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what she did; it always came back to you lot. Your kind ruined her you know, I really hope she does the same to you this time around." I hissed before turning around and storming away, I tried to ignore the stiffened sob followed by a the sound of hurrying off.

Sentencing Hearing- Alice

I couldn't face going far, all those things the wolf had told me they just... they couldn't be true. They just couldn't be! Edward couldn't have done that, could he? He never did tell us how he broke it off with Bella and he had asked us not to talk to her again. I even had to change my email, though leaving her like that? Making her feel like nothing and never even saying anything? It couldn't be true.

I had to talk to him but I couldn't, no one knew exactly where he was. After everything that had happened I supposed I couldn't blame him, though I could blame him for what he had done to Bella. I wanted to talk to her but she had a sentencing to get over and done with.

"Be upstanding in court." The differences between the courts here and in the states were a visible, though I had gotten used to it after the first trial. I might have even got a not guilty verdict if the jury hadn't been go to, though I knew who had got to them and I was not pleased.

"Now I will keep this brief, something that I cannot say for your sentence. I have read all needed papers and files so shall not require anything else nor will you speak in mitigation." Bella seemed so comfortable on the bench, she obviously enjoyed her role and it made me feel terrible that we were intruding. She was going to hate me even more after tomorrow, though I was interested to see her sentencing. I always saw her as the quiet and forgiving type though that is clearly wrong.

"Arthur Steed, rise." she commanded and a youngish man in the dock rose with almost a swagger, not thinking the worst. I looked up at Bella who fixed him with a look that moved from revulsion to hate. It was the worst look I had ever seen her give, which was saying something as I had been on the receiving end of many.

"You have shown no remorse, you have not accepted guilt and have relied on the notion you as a man are more reliable than all eight of your victims. You were found guilty on eight counts of rape, the severity alone merits a custodial sentence but your actions and attitude are frankly appalling. I have yet to see any redeeming quality within you," Bella was really going at him, she was defiantly not the forgiving type and this was towards a person she had never met.

"You violently and maliciously raped those women. You cited you did not despite overwhelming forensic evidence and in your statement made out that they deserved it by their clothing and attitude. This tells me that you have no remorse, you have no respect for women and I believe rehabilitation will take a very long time. For eight rapes you shall serve eight concurrent sentences." She took one long breath as the man in the dock became visibly worried.

"I sentence you on to eight sentences of twenty-three years imprisonment. Concurrent means you shall serve them all at once. Take the prisoner down." Her eyes narrowed as the prisoner was led to the cells. I just watched, transfixed on the event realising who I was dealing with. I was not dealing with a teenage girl who was recovering from a previous spat, I was dealing with a fierce Crown Court Judge who had every reason to despise me.


	7. Exposure

My Lady

I was reclining even more this time, already a day of trial had gone by since my little "talk" with Alice and the prosecution had finally managed to get all the experts out of the way, though now it was time to move onto character witnesses or people who saw the crime. Which would be no one,

"Thank you officer, you may step done." The arresting office was stood in full uniform and a military stance, he left the witness box with minimal interference from Alice , though she was looking at me in a guilty way. My eyes briefly met Jacob's who looked half asleep, why didn't he just go? Explore the city, have fun and then get me after court. I almost felt bad inflicting this upon him, though his eyes and body suddenly perked up.

"The prosecution would like to call a miss Rosalie Hale." My head turned to Alice in the same way a snake turned to its prey, my mouth thinned and I was ready to throttle her as Rosalie Cullen walked into the room. Peterson was startled,

"May the jury and the public gallery go out please." I said with my voice bordering on a growl as the twelve jurors filed out of their seats, a few casting worried glances at me.

"She's my daughter..." The elderly mother protested again.

"Get out or I will have the dock officers drag you to the cells. I have pressing matters of law to discuss with counsel, you will be allowed in shortly. Now get out! " My voice exploded in pitch and the entire gallery, including Jacob filed out. Once the doors were closed I looked towards the dock, Jane Tate was looking at me with wide, confused eyes.

"Dock officers, I need to shout at counsel. Would you mind taking the defendant down to the cells." I smiled at the grey haired officer and his much gruffer looking friend who escorted the almost frail red haired woman down to the cells.

"Usher and clerk may leave if they want. I don't mind." Neither of them moved, both looking ready to jump me in case I lunged for either side, both options were very appealing.

"Don't go anywhere Miss Hale." I spat her name noticing her attempting to leave the witness box, both the usher and the clerk were now watching me. I didn't lose my temper often, but today was a very extreme exception.

"My Lady, I must admit I did not know the witness before..." What the hell was Alice thinking? She and Rosalie had tried to come onto this man the other day! She was a prosecution witness?

"That appears quite clear Mr Peterson, next time prepare your cases. Sit." I commanded in a voice which seemed almost physically harm him, how had he not foreseen this? What idiot didn't interview his own witness.

"Miss Brandon do I really need to demand you stand?" I spoke rhetorically and Alice got to her feet.

"This is your friend isn't it?"

"My Lady, Rosalie Hale is a competent witness, she is impartial to me about the matter of her previous relationship." WHAT! She was supposed to be the ex girlfriend? This was too far, even for Alice.

"I can be impartial and truthful." Rosalie interrupted, she didn't know me as a Judge well enough.

"Button it or I will have you held in contempt." I was bloody tempted, I was just about prepared to tolerate the two "experts." This was not on.

"Your defending the previous girlfriend of your friend's now deceased ex?" My mouth was now half agape and my blood was boiling.

"To an extent." Alice began and that was it. My eyes burned into hers and I was suddenly ready to hit the roof,

"This is an abominable conflict of interest." I declared simply, what the hell was the woman thinking.

"My Lady there is simply not, she is a friend as many of solicitors and barristers are." Alice was smiling in a way that made me want to throttle Alice in that moment.

"Not all of them appear as witness in the courtroom." I snapped,

"My Lady, Miss Hale is an ex girlfriend of the deceased, the fact she knows Miss Brandon outside of this courtroom is an irrelevance to some..." Peterson rose to his feet, knowing if I excluded her then there was chance he would be found out as someone willing to forsake a case for the sake of two pretty girls.

"Shut up! Sit down." I ordered without even considering him, "I'm not happy with the idea that a witness for the prosecution is a friend of the defence."

"Miss Tate knows and understands, she knows me and Rosalie Hale to some extent. She accepts the risk." Oh I bet she did, well in that case there was very little I could do other than report Alice, which there was no point in. She would be gone long before a review was underway.

"My Lady I remind you there is no legal precedent for you to exclude this evidence based on the counsel's relationships, both me and miss Brandon know this woman privately. Her more so, as she is a witness for the prosecution who has appeared before then there is no reason." The focus swung back to the prosecution.

"Are you telling me she has given evidence before and your personal link was not established?" I barked coolly.

"We met subsequently to the first trial, on another matter." Alice pointed out,

"Clerk have Miss Tate brought back up." We waited for the mousy woman to be led back into the dock.

"Miss Tate I have been told you know and have no reservations about Miss Hale giving evidence despite her relationship with the deceased." I stated.

"Yes that is correct." She spoke softly and I spared her my anger in that moment.

"Well unfortunately I do, Miss Brandon you know this woman personally and she is a solicitor correct?" I had overheard that in the bar,

"I am." Rosalie confirmed though I doubted it highly.

"Shut up." I told her and Alice bowed her head. A smiled in a dark way.

"Well in which case she should know not to see you outside of court, though the prosecution should have known better than to not make any checks. Though I am not convinced you have acted honestly, that is contempt in the face of court." I declared so simply and the eyes of the entire court collectively widened.

"I am not prone to holding people in contempt, I have done so during this trial but it is rare. For that reason both of you will purge your contempt, now." Purging contempt meant simply they had to apologise.

"My Lady I did not act in a..." Alice began but I hope the look I gave her stopped her then and there. She instead bowed her wigged head

"I am sorry My Lady, what has been done is not justified and I sincerely apologise." I nodded to her , accepting the apology.

"I am not going to apologise for simply knowing someone, I used to date the deceased and I happen to know Miss Brandon. I refuse to apologise to anyone." Rosalie declared rather moodily, she wasn't the apologising type.

"Fine, dock officers take Miss Hale to the cells." Rosalie must have obviously thought me bluffing, though unless she wanted to expose herself then and there she had no choice. She was led to the cells.

"Her evidence is to be made in the form of her original statement which was made before she knew you,. " I was about to begin. I was secretly pleased that this time I had been able to prevent Alice from doing something so... wrong.

"I must protest My Lady, how on earth can a jury remain unbiased without me given the chance to cross examine her." Alice demanded standing up. I shook my head,

"You should have thought of that when you decided to meet up with her between trials, I will mention to the jury the evidence is disputed. That is all I will do, you have crossed a line Miss Brandon and believe when I say you had better buck up your ideas or join your friend in the cells. Bring the jury in." Alice sat down, and I hoped she realised just how much trouble she was in now.

_"I was with Mr Chadworth for six months, I met him at a bar when I was still in college and I thought he was great. He protected and helped me, made me feel special, though it started to go wrong. At first he wanted to do things in the bedroom, tying me up and choking me, using me from behind .That sort of thing, at first I was ok with it but then he started to get violent, he wanted me to be at his beck and call all the time. If I was one minute late I would get a beating, once he even made me wear a dog collar and dragged me across the flat we were sharing. I would have to do whatever he wanted, when he wanted or he would beat me. I was at his mercy and I only left when he went away for a few months and I just left..." _The statement was read out by the unfeeling of the clerk and I was even more annoyed. Rosalie had never known this man and I knew it, she was technically a married woman if I remembered correctly. In fact if I knew Alice, Rosalie would have broken down and confessed this to be a lie, they must have thought of it between the two trials. It was a lot more clear suddenly.

Alice and Rosalie had worked together to try and seduce the prosecution to accept their side, he was never supposed to protest about Rosalie being a witness. If I hadn't found out their plan then... I had no idea. It was awful in every sense of the word.

"This evidence I remind you is in dispute, the witness is currently unavailable to talk to you and will not become available in the near future. Instead you will simply have to remember this statement is only a half truth, you must consider the evidence and what you know based on both sides of the argument." I spoke to them with all the sincerity I could muster .

"Now I'm going to rise, we shall meet tomorrow. Miss Brandon could I see in chambers for a moment, it is about your friend. Mr Peterson you do not need to be there, you can if you wish." The look I gave him told the man he would be welcome anywhere else and his reaction was to quietly mumble decline, he didn't want to be there.

"Be upstanding in court. All business before her honour, justice of this court, is concluded. God Save the Queen." The final words were preceded with the court rising and me leaving the room,

"Before your meeting My Lady, what is to be done with Miss Hale?" Lizzie asked catching me before Alice.

"When she apologises she can be let go." I replied in a dark, annoyed tone.

"Will you be wanting tea My Lady?" Lizzie offered knowing I would have a guest and wanting to be out of the way of my temper. I declined and allowed her to go home.

"What the hell were you playing at in there?" I demanded in harsh tones the moment Alice's pixie haircut popped into view.

"Me? You were the one who prejudiced the jury into thinking the victim was an abuser."

"And was he?" I asked, Alice seemed to know a bit too much about this case for my liking.

"It doesn't matter, he's dead but if the jury think he is an abuser then they'll link it with Jane."

"Well maybe you should work on proving it in a court of law instead of spitting at it and introducing fake witnesses, justice doesn't work like that. " I told her with a hiss.

"I need to, there aren't other witnesses." She was actually going to try that one with me?

"Then the answer is manslaughter provocation." I explained, Alice's eyes alone told me she wasn't going to take that for an answer.

"She didn't do anything." Alice's face fell into one of annoyance and then there was something else, a tiredness which caused her to take seat.

"None of them ever do." Her eyes were locked on me, it was strange.

"Alice?" I asked removing my wig and placing them gently on the table,

"They never deserve it, they always end up hurt because of us. I try and help and, God." Alice's petitioning God was alarming enough to scare me but her wide eyes brimming with tears was over the top.

"Alice," I tried again standing up, sufficiently worried enough to move towards her. She was gazing at the floor,

"I can't do this Bella, I can't get it right. I end up screwing up my own defence by trying to lie my way through this court, I get Rosalie thrown off and even if I win I've helped ruin a woman's life. What can I do? I can't even throw a birthday party without screwing someone over." Wait what?

"What?" I inquired, that party had been the catalyst for the Cullen's leaving all those years ago, was she talking about me?

"Everything I'm doing is making things worse, if I had never have thrown that stupid party then you wouldn't have had your life ruined. Your depression, your move everything we could have stopped." She was upset, very much so and I saw it. I had been doing the same thing she was doing to herself, it wasn't fair of me to blame Edward on her.

"Come here." I put an robed arm around her shoulders and she buried herself into my sleeve, a deep sob followed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She sobbed, so Jacob had told her the truth. I had wondered if he would,

"Alice, don't blame yourself. You didn't know." I soothed gently, there was no response.

"You didn't ruin my life, Edward tried and look where I am. I'm the youngest Judge in the country, I've been to a top university and I'm doing great, you didn't ruin anything. Come on." My words seemed to do something to the girl who did not move, I didn't even know vampires could cry until today.

"But Alice you have to stop this, fake witnesses, backhand tactics and everything else needs to stop." I begged as her tears soaked into my arm. Her bleary eyes looked up for a moment.

"I need to tell you the truth." Was all she could blurt.


	8. One Truth of Many

My Lady

"It was about a year ago when he met her, we had moved to London the year before and we went to party, he went for a walk." I listened intently as Alice explained, watching transfixed as the story unfolded and the _he _became Edward without even the need for a word.

"He met her, a crying woman attracted him and I suppose her thoughts; chilled him to the bone. Her name was Jane, a frightened young woman who knew love only at the hands of a monster."

"So he had been abusing her?" I stated wanting to know just why Alice was determined to prove to the contrary, though she simply nodded and returned to the past. Her arms began to twitch and she was on her feet, telling me the tale.

"She had met Nick Chadworth and been with him for ten long years, ten years in which he systematically isolated the poor woman and abused her. In every way he hurt her, from the simplest thing; her expression and what she said, to the darkest. Physical, sexual and emotional hate was all the man could see and when I met the girl I saw it. Her future ripe with pain, I think Edward in his own way knew it too." Alice's eyes flickered down to the floor, she had to mention his name and yet the pang of dread hit me as it did whenever I heard his name spoken.

"The poor thing was desperate for love, for care and Edward saw her as his valiant crusade. A way for him to redeem himself and deliver this person from the jaws of desperation, so he started an affair." Oh dear God, Edward had started all this because of an affair.

"Jane Tate was in the same position you were when she found, captivated by this man, hungry for knowledge and ripe with desire. Desire for a love she saw as a dream with the one she clung too was with the abuser."

"Edward fell in love her with." I stated knowing where the story was going.

"Yes, it was very much like you Bella. He loved her for a time, carried out his affair in secret and sometimes I wonder how far he took it. Then Nicholas Chadworth caught on, Edward read what the man did. No that thing degraded, humiliated and violated her in a way that makes me feel sick. Edward read it, felt in her mind." Oh I saw it now, in the same way vampires had been dangerous for me they had been dangerous for her.

"So he decided to leave, but first he wanted to protect Jane forever, we all wanted to help her but he insisted, maybe I should have gone. Should have interfered, should have at least tried but no, he moved forward with his goals. He went to the flat they shared on the twenty second of November to confront and scare Chadworth." So Edward had killed him? With a knife? I considered but I had the benefit of a legal mind and already I saw the main flaw in this story, the one Alice had been gripping with the entire time.

"You don't know what happened." I breathed, no she didn't.. In fact I doubted anyone did but Edward and Jane Tate herself and as we may have one been the same person then I knew I would never reveal the truth. Alice shook her head and a tear streaked down her cheek.

Slowly I stood up and brushed it aside, placed a warm hand on her cheek.

"Go on." I whispered needing to hear it, needing to understand.

"You know, Nicholas Chadworth was found stabbed, tremendous force was employed, and Jane Tate was the only person around. She was found alone, sobbing and Edward, he fled."

"So you lot wanted to get her off." So it was a joint effort on the Cullen's behalf, though Alice shook her head, in a way that told me I was only half right.

"I came up with the idea of a legal case, we needed to make that monster appear innocent, he's the link." Alice took a long drawn out breath, "If he seems like an abuser then it would be investigated, somewhere he has evidence of their affair." I took a step back. Shock had morphed into my face.

"You would see an innocent women go to prison for life because Edward doesn't want the affair to come out?" I asked in a whisper of a voice, no there was no way Alice would do something like that. Waves of relief shook me when she confirmed she would not,

"Edward said we should leave well enough alone, he said we should just leave her life and assumed she would be fine. He ran off and threatened all sorts if we made it worse, he thinks if we leave she'll get off."

"Threatened what?" I asked,

"That he would expose himself, frame someone or stop witnesses coming forward, and everything in between of course."

"You can't argue manslaughter because if you agree there was abuse then the prosecution will have to seriously investigate, they will l look for things that they may have missed and if that happens." I had the answer on the tip of my tongue. I just didn't know quite how to say it.

"If the affair comes out it will be traced back to him." Edward had once mentioned something about vampire royalty, some form of authority. Was he running to protect himself?

"Maybe, whatever the reason he vanished. He never told us what happened." Alice sighed and then a question came to me.

"How do you know Jane Tate is innocent?" I inquired then, Alice shot me a look which told me she didn't. Alice had no idea what had happened on that night, she was trying to make up for her brother's mistakes.

"I don't, I just can't bear to see this happen to her. Trust me I would reveal the abuse, expose the affair and do everything to prove her wrong but then if _they _get wind of it then they'll kill Edward, Jane and maybe even the rest of us." So there was some sort of authority. It was something to bear in mind.

"Oh Alice," I muttered rubbing my temples, knowing the truth made it even more of a mess and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't dismiss the trial because no one knew if she had done it, nor did I have any justification to do so. I couldn't direct anyone to acquit because the prosecution had a strong case and I couldn't get to the truth because one of the people who knew it was gone and the other a love struck woman with a troubled past. In other ways she was unreachable.

"I'm sorry Bella, I am but..." She sniffed and in that moment our past didn't matter. I wrapped her in a warm embrace, she was still cold to the touch.

"My Lady." I quickly moved to the side as Lizzie entered the room,

"I thought I said go home for the day." I smiled handing Alice a tissue, I wasn't going to be caught hugging a barrister ,appearing before me, in my chambers, I would get removed from the trial and maybe the bench.

"Umm, the dock officers have rung up. They have some complaints about the woman in contempt." Rosalie? What had she done now.

"What have they said?" I asked,

"The other prisoners have complained, apparently she's causing unneeded stress and being very vocal." The girl explained and I had to suppress a smile.

"He she been told she can purge her contempt?" I asked, dear lord all it would take was a simple apology and she would be free to go. Lizzie nodded, my clerk did not understand this woman clearly, then again I doubted I did.

"Yes, she's refused."

"In which case she can stay overnight, have her taken in a prison van. If she apologises beforehand she can go, and send the dock officers and detainees my most sincere apologies." I told the girl who quickly departed and I was left grinning. Even Alice had to chuckle.

"I don't think Rosalie's your biggest fan." Alice commented while drying her eyes, though the mention of her name reminded me exactly what Alice had done.

"Look Alice I appreciate what your trying to do for this woman, but you have to use better methods! You can't resort to fake witnesses and God knows what else, stay in reality please." I begged and Alice nodded. Then before I could blink; cuddled me, kissed me on the cheek and she was gone. Leaving me to wonder just what I had gotten myself into.

The next morning

"No," I declared promptly as me and Jacob walked up towards the entrance of the court, the Judges and court staff entrance of course.

"You can't be around her." Jacob was muttering as he walked, both of us had a coffee in one hand and yet I was feeling a touch more smiley. I had hoped my talk with Alice had finally knocked some sense into her and yet Jacob was insisting he sit on the bench.

"Look we just got rid of a Judge whose wife used to sit with him for all the interesting rape cases, seeing as she pretty much decided the sentences he gave it's unofficial precedent that we don't let people sit with us. Unless we're marshalling, but that's different. Anyway I have something a touch more interesting for you to do." I spoke softly, the idea had come to me but I hadn't yet brought it up. Me and Jacob had gone out for dinner, his treat this time and I had no choice, and then home, he was still refusing to leave me. Thinking I would be a snack before he got back.

"Oh really?" Jacob asked, this time I did though. I had been looking over the last trial, something had been niggling me and I had the perfect candidate for the job now.

"Yes, on my desk at home there is a file. It has the details of the last trial of Jane Tate in it, the trial was stopped almost halfway because someone was found tampering with the jury, I have a strange feeling there's a vampire link." I whispered, I had arrived slightly early just to get Jacob to agree to this. Half to get him out of my hair and half because I was suddenly even more curious about this case, though I wasn't sure how long it had left. The arguments were almost drawing to a close for the prosecution, they just had to draw out some more character witnesses.

"You think a bloodsucker is trying to make this trial fail?" Of course he was interested, I nodded.

"I don't know why but I think if a vampire is doing this then he might be around, I was hoping you could take a look into it for me. I don't want a vampire trying this on another jury or even a Judge." The mention of Judge got Jacob on my side, he would be worried about me and I was slightly guilty about manipulating him but not overly so.

"Ok, I'll take a look."

"Thanks, I'm sure that wolf's nose can sniff out anything." I chuckled before giving him a brief hug, not like the one Alice had given me. Then he was gone,

"My Lady," Lizzie was in early, though my clerk looked a little worried today or perhaps she was more thrown.

"Yes?" I asked walking towards my chambers,

"Dr Cullen and Platt have been taken ill, they think its food poisoning." Ok that was odd and once in my chambers I didn't bother sitting down. I

"That's strange, is it serious?" I wondered, Lizzie moved her head from side to side.

"They think it might be fatal, both are unconscious." Vampires didn't do that, nor did they get food poisoning. Something else was in play and I hoped it had nothing to do with Alice, I tried to shake the feeling of unease flowing through me.

"Keep me informed, also make sure the other witness watch what they eat. Just get one of the bailiffs to subtly mention it, if anything else comes up let me know." I told her quietly, not wanting this to get out. Though the real question was why would Carlisle and Esme fake an illness? It was troubling.

"Be upstanding in court, all those with business before her honour, justice of this court, stand now and give your attendance. God Save the Queen." I walked into the usual saying and I noticed Alice shaking her head at me and looking awkward. She was trying to tell me something, I hoped it was her telling me she had nothing to do with these so called "illnesses."

"Mr Peterson, call you're next witness. Preferably one that defence counsel doesn't know." I commented dryly as the jury filed into the room.

"With your leave My Lady we would like to call George Maxwell, landlord of the building Jane Tate shared with the victim."


	9. Tampering

My Lady

The landlord came in with a strange look, one I honed in on almost immediately but eventually dismissed it. He was an older looking man, somewhat overweight with a few tuffs of greying hair mixing in with a moustache. Though his eyes were wide, stark blue and while there was something about him I ignored it. The man took the stand, I nodded for the prosecution to continue.

"You are George Maxwell correct?" Peterson began in his usual, leading, dull tone. I didn't bother in reprimanding him for it,

"I am and I own the building where Miss Tate and her boyf... I suppose ex, boyfriend used to live." He spoke softly, almost sadly. Something Alice must have noted down, there something wrong with her; something very wrong, she looked panicked. Frantically looking for paper, muttering to others and in general not acting herself. Though I supposed I didn't know exactly what was normal for her, even now.

"Tell me how long did the defendant live in your building?" Peterson was still speaking while I was distracted but even he was looking at Alice cautiously, being aware of defence counsel was something of a necessity and she was acting erratically.

"A little over three years." Poor woman, I could see her in the dock looking down. Her eyes were firmly locked towards the floor, I couldn't imagine living with anyone who could abuse a person like her boyfriend did. Cases like these were hard, but they were even harder when you knew the facts that no one else did.

"Tell me what sort of tenants were they?" the older man shrugged and my conflicted attention was brought back to the man who was half sweating in the dock. I wondered just how long it would take for him to recite his statement, it was mostly just him mentioning how many people complained about cries and yelps. Yet no one called the police until the abuser was dead.

"They were quiet, kind and generally nice people, good tenants." Wait what? I picked up the man's statement, no it clearly said throughout that he had received many complaints about his tenants.

"That's not what it says in your statement." Peterson remarked looking thrown off, Alice for her part simply grimaced.

"I was wrong, I have a lot of tenants. I get confused easily with them, there was another couple who were troublesome."

"Who were they?" Peterson demanded getting agitated at this abrupt turn of events, this was the exact point in the last trial the jury had been tampered with, he was bound to be worried.

"I can't remember." He remembered very well during the last trial and I wondered just what the hell was going on here.

"With your leave My Lady I would like to treat this witness as hostile." Peterson turned to me and it was a good time to speak up, something was going on here and I did not like it one bit.

"Granted, Mr Maxwell you must be aware that lying to a court is not only contempt but brings with it charges of perjury. You are also under oath, prosecution may continue." I instructed before laying back to see just where this was going to go,

"Why have you changed your story?" Peterson asked that question with a certain force which reflected almost everyone's feelings of confusion and loss. I had no idea what was going on and Alice looked up at me sheepishly, as if she had been expecting it or was apologising for it.

"I get confused."

"Really so you go confused during your first meeting with the police, your first interview, when your statement was taken and when you came to court the first time?" this question came with venom and the witness must have felt it.

"Yes." He spoke softly, solemnly.

"Mr Maxwell in your statement you identify Miss Tate and the now deceased Nicholas Chadworth as I quote "troublesome tenants"." Peterson stated and I was on the verge of acting, this was getting to be a problem.

"I was confused." He said again and yet he knew not one person in that court actually believed him, not me, not the Jury and not even Alice.

"I'm going to interject for a moment here." I interrupted before looking down at the witness.

"Mr Maxwell I want you to be absolute truthful with me right now, has someone influenced you to change your story?" I asked and I noticed Alice jump to her feet.

"I dare you to object Miss Brandon." I warned and she sat down, I looked back towards the witness with an air of authority. He then broke from my gaze,

"No," he sighed, well there was nothing I could do and instead turned to the jury.

"My question was not an accusation, however if must be noted this witness has deviated from his original statement. You may decide why this is and take it consideration." I told them and the jurors all nodded in confirmation, I looked at the clock. It was nearly lunch.

"We're going to adjourn for lunch, I'm sure you both need time to readjust." I glared at Alice when speaking, I had no idea what role she played in this but I wanted to find out.

Jacob

I wondered if Bella had sent me on a wild goose chase, I mean she hadn't been happy about me protecting her. But she needed it! Having a bloodsucker in a room was something I wasn't ok with. Though I knew she had a good heart, she just wanted me to have some fun and sure London was an amazing place but I was here to help Bella not for a vacation.

"Listen here buddy..." I was on my way back to the court when I heard a voice, it was in an almost empty tunnel, I think it led towards a train station or under a road as it was tiled. Though it also was an entrance to some of the upstairs public galleries. Though this one was now empty, the public was in session for the rest of the court.

"Please don't hurt me." A man whimpered and then before I could find out what was going on; I took one long inhale. The smell, it was one of the bloodsuckers.

"Remember what you and your family need right now is the right verd..." I appeared in the mouth of the tiled tunnel and the bloodsucker vanished, leaving behind a smartly dressed old man. His grey hair was parted, his beard prickled and he was covered in sweat.

"Are you ok?" I asked helping him to his feet, the bloodsucker had pushed him up against a wall. He brushed himself down, it was a good thing I was around, those things normally kill first.

"Yeah, I came out here for a smoke; I knew I shouldn't but..." Wait why wouldn't he be able to smoke? Maybe the bloodsucker's words were not just random ones of assault. Indeed now the anger had worn off, everything was falling into place.

"Who are you if you don't mind me asking?" I asked frantically and I wondered what the posh looking Brit thought of the scruffy teen who had almost been in wolf form when he leapt in to help him.

"My name's Daniel, I'm a juror."

"In the Jane Tate trial?" I asked knowing the answer, the man nodded.

"Yes, wait I've seen you in the public gallery haven't I?" Oh no, so this man was not only a juror but he had just been attacked by a bloodsucker. That could only mean my research into bloodsuckers in the city was not a wild goose chase, one was trying to get to the jury.

"Yeah, I know the Judge. Do you know who that man was?" So someone was trying to get to him, Bella was not going to like this and she was going to have to do something about it. I supposed it would have to be a new trial with a new jury but it wasn't my area of expertise.

"No, he just appeared." The man was panicked and looking around for his assailant, a man who was now long gone and someone I was tempted to hunt down and rip to pieces. I let out a deep growl before I helped escort the man back towards the court.

Bella

"Miss Hale for the last time, if you apologise for the contempt you showed this court yesterday I will let you go. If not your going back to the cells or maybe the prison for another night. So are you going to purge your contempt or not?" I asked as Rosalie stood in a mostly empty courtroom. Dock officers and court staff were around but no one else. The blond haired woman was saying nothing.

"Look I have another trial to continue in five minutes so apologise or don't. If you don't you shall be held for another night, and if not tomorrow another. This will go on until I get bored and hand you over to another Judge to be formally sentenced, so make your choice." I sighed feeling like I was trying to get a brick wall to apologise.

"Fine take her back to the cells. " I commanded after a few moments of silence.

"Wait." she actually spoke and that got my attention, enough for me to pause her removal and gesture for her to continue. Rosalie looked at me with all the hate in the world,

"I am sorry for my contempt Lady Swan, it was wrong of me to appear as a witness in such circumstances. I'm sorry." She spat out the words and I smiled, I had actually gotten the narcissistic vampire to apologise.

"Thank God for that, let her go." I instructed and then with the usual rising ceremony the court was adjourned.

Alice

This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't be. There was no way this was going to happen, why hadn't they listened to me in the first place? No they instead opted for this, I just knew Rosalie would be championing every action against the court now. This was getting worse and worse,

"Tell me Mr Maxwell, when you said there was around twenty five complaints in one month alone, directed as the defendant was that confusion speaking?" Bella was glaring at me from the bench as Peterson fired question after question; trying to break down a man who wouldn't budge. I had no idea which one had gotten to him, was it Emmet, Edward or maybe even my idiot of an ex? How could this have happened! I needed to talk to Bella quickly, I needed to make it clear I had nothing to do with whatever the others were planning.

"Now I would like you to think about this last question and not get confused, how would you describe Mr Chadworth?" The witness began making mutterings about not liking him and how he was a _dodgy_ person, without using the word abuser. Him changing his story meant he wouldn't be seen as a prosecution witness again, it was clear the others were trying to provoke a mistrial. Make sure we couldn't go on and with the two medical experts somehow both "dead" of illness then next trial would fall apart. It was not the way to do things, Jane would have to live with this for the rest of her life and a technicality wouldn't be enough.

"And how would you describe Miss Tate?" The next question made me realise just how little I knew about her, I didn't even know if she was innocent. Though I wanted to stand up for her, someone needed to after what Edward did to the poor girl. It just needed to be done legally, not backhand tactics and intimidation. Not when we didn't know exactly what happened, Edward was still refusing to talk about it.

"I would describe her as a gentle and harmless..." The witness never got to finish because a loud cry of the word _no _filled the courtroom. An elderly juror was on his feet.

"I'm not going to sit through this when I know better," he announced, what? What was going on now? A juror was getting involved.

"Sir please sit down you are not at..." Bella took too long to respond and the man ignored her, instead he addressed the witness.

"Sir, I fear you and I are in the same boat." Bella then stopped and waited for him to continue, the witness said nothing.

"What exactly is going on here?" Bella, with a regal look with her robes and wig, turned to the man who looked up and met her confused stare.

"Judge," the juror spoke politely and with a slight stammer "I was threatened outside of this court by a friend of the defendant." Oh God no, not again. Bella looked at him and then to me with shock horror, I buried my face in my hands. They hadn't done it again, they just couldn't have!

"And me," another juror, a younger woman, rose to her feet "A man came to my house a few days ago." I watched helplessly as six other jurors rose to their feet. All of whom slowly announced the fact they had been manipulated.

"Hand me the sketch drawing of the man who the original juror complained about, in the last trial." The court was suddenly in a daze as papers changed hands and Bella Swan looked down at me with a furious gaze. She then held up a picture of Jasper Cullen. I had hoped Bella would ignore that, she hadn't seen it yet; why would she? It was irrelevant and buried in the case file. It had taken five minutes for the usher to find that sketch, yet now it was being shown to the court.

"How many of you recognise this man?" Bella demanded looking at me. Slowly, each and every single member of the jury raised their hand.


	10. Higher Counsel

My Lady

"Well I suppose I should congratulate you two, I start the trial knowing there was a previous disaster. I was aware but not too worried, then the defence decides to announce one expert hates men. From there I find one of you attempting to get the other to commit perjury , the defence tries to get her friend in the witness box and now the jury has been tampered with you. You two have managed to ensure this trial is compromised time and time again, the jury tampering was icing on the cake for this mess. Nice work." I hissed slinking back into my chair, they were both in chambers and I was furious. The jury had been escorted out and needed to be discharged, the two _doctors_ were now supposed to be dead. There was no way a new trial could go ahead.

"Are you saying one of us did it?" Peterson asked sounding disbelieving.

"No I'm saying both of you have managed to screw up this trial, now is there any way we can start again?" I asked, Peterson looked very awkward.

"I don't think so, the body has already been cremated at the families behest, Dr Cullen was the only person with the autopsy report and with him now gone it looks unlikely we can continue. Indeed the prosecution is hardly able to prove the victim was murdered now, though it is possible I doubt the CPS would want to continue." The man explained and I knew the answer, Alice didn't say anything.

"Well the jury's gone, it looks like I have no choice but to discharge the jury and... wait a moment." My mind was whirring, both Alice and Peterson were looking at me with a frown. There may actually be a solution to this, though I needed to make a check.

"I'm going to retire until tomorrow morning, I will decide what to do then. I need to seek higher counsel. Until tomorrow." I stood up and gestured for them to leave, though before Alice and her pixie cut could leave the room I called for her.

"Very quickly, do you have anything to do with this?" I asked in a stern, domineering tone. Alice shook her head, for some reason I found myself believing her.

"Ok, go home. I want you here at nine sharp." I told her with a relieved smile, thank goodness she hadn't ordered her husband to get to the Jury, he must have been stalking them for days. It was lucky that juror came forward.

"Bella." Alice called to me as I disrobed and prepared to hastily depart, I looked at her, noticed her face was hurt, upset. Though for the first time it wasn't something I had done or said,

"Jasper's my ex husband." She said with a sad smile and then she was gone, just gone. Leaving me to wonder.

"Alice," I muttered under my breath before half speeding out of the room. I was moving at a speed most Judges hadn't moved at for a quarter of a century, I needed to seek my higher counsel before the day was out and a court day was a lot shorter than a normal one.

"Bella!" Jacob attracted my attention, he moved to speak.

"I know the Jury's been tampered with, have you got the truck?" I asked hoping none of my fellow Judges saw me being driven around in a truck. Thankfully my destination wasn't too far,

"Yeah, how did you know?" Jacob asked looking thrown,

"It just came out in trial." Jacob got in the driving seats,

"Where do I need to take you?" He asked not entirely sure what was on my mind. Then again neither did I as for some reason I kept thinking about Alice and her now ex husband.

Royal Courts of Justice

"I am afraid Miss Michaels we have reached a unanimous decision that your appeal is groundless, indeed the sentence imposed by Justice Swan is honestly too fair. Many Judges would have increased the sentence by two to three years, so I am afraid the sentence for the prisoner's murder of a police officer remains at life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of thirty five years. Sentence is upheld. Take the prisoner down, we are adjourned." A woman in a thin black robe was speaking from a raised bench. Her voice was soft and yet slightly firm, she was a wearing the same wig I wore on a day to day basis which dull blond hair tickled down from.

"Be upstanding in court." The usual verbal ending of the day ensures as all three Judges on the bench rose, this courtroom was much different to mine. There was no room for a jury, just two benches facing each other and a raised platform with two leather seats, both red and a darker fabric one. Bookshelves flanked either side of that platform and in the middle was a huge crest made up lions and the flags of all the United Kingdoms. Everything was made of polished wood in terms of the furniture and a public gallery was packed with a fair number of people, I for once was one of them.

"So what is this place again?" Jacob asked, he had been watching with some interest. We had just caught the last appeal of the day, one that had lasted less than an afternoon.

"The Royal Courts of Justice, criminal division. They here all the appeal cases, three Judges sit on the bench." I explained, pointing to where the round faced, thin cheeked woman had just been. I knew her, though I didn't know she was hearing a case I had sentenced. The man in question had attacked a police officer and then shot him, he had some nerve to appeal against a minimum term of thirty five years, odds are he wouldn't get out.

"Clerk, I need to see Lady Snow." I muttered to the man who frowned at me,

"Do you have an appointment,"

"Tell her someone's here to share that bottle of white wine she keeps for the end of an appeal." I smiled and the clerk nodded, an elderly man who slowly half hobbled away. He returned a few moments later and gave me an affirmative nod. Both me and Jacob, who had pretty much refused to leave my side, walked through a wooden door and into a long corridor where another, more homely door was being kept open for us.

"This is the Royal Courts of Justice, it doesn't serve alcohol." A voice trying to sound stern as I appeared in the doorway of a room which mirrored my own chambers, it was slightly larger and instead of me an elderly looking woman was sat in the chair. A thinning frame, rounded face and dull blond hair was holding a warm thick smile and blue quizzical eyes.

"I'll close the door then." I teased, I knew her. She was the Judge I shadowed during the time I had been training to become a Judge, well being a barrister really but she had become a close friend of mine.

"If your closing the door, bring the stud in behind you." She chuckled and I stepped into the room and embraced her,

"Evelyn." I chuckled when she finally let me go. Judge Evelyn Snow, the woman who took no nonsense from anyone and had been promoted to the Higher Courts after only a few years.

"Bella, and not ignoring the rather muscular man I'm Evelyn Snow."

"And married." I pointed out, noticing her almost flirtatious tone but she was probably only trying to exploit Jacob who looked slightly awkward.

"I'm Jacob." He introduced,

"Ahh Bella's best friend. You told me about him didn't you. I remember," I almost blushed, Evelyn was possibly my best friend despite the age gap but she didn't like to forget, something I knew a number of people found out.

"Oh don't blush,." She scolded "Now court is over and my train wreck of a husband decided he could get a six-pack, so from now until he finishes the gym I'm free. Wine?" Her husband had been in a mid-life crisis for a few too many years now. Well according to Evelyn one year was too many, the man walked with a cane and yet he still wanted to prove he was young. I let her pour me a glass, Jacob reluctantly took one as well.

"Now my dear, how are you?" Evelyn smiled knowing I needed something,

"I'm fine, Jacob's here for a couple of weeks and thought he'd visit. Though I did want to talk to you about something." Evelyn made a light chuckle.

"Jacob, trust me the only fun Bella has is drinks with me every Thursday, drag her to a club or something will you?" she half begged, she was always on about me wanting to be young now. Or risk ending up like her husband.

"I sure will Miss Snow." Jacob smiled while he nodded to confirm he would, without running it by me of course.

"Polite and good physique, I never did understand why you told me you never went out with him." The way she said that made me splutter my wine, something she found deeply amusing.

"But you didn't come here for a close analysis of your love life, no I'll save that for next Thursday's session. So what can this Lady of Appeal do you for Bella?" She asked while Jacob drank his drink to at least appear like he wasn't embarrassed while I explained my situation to her. She had finished her drink by the time I finished. I only left out the vampire part of the story, it would take a lot more drink for her to swallow that story.

"Well we've all been in a room with an incompetent barrister, or worse Peterson but this Jury thing, now that's a big issue and if you trial can't go on. You want to make sure you can use the nuclear option don't you?" She asked seeing right through my visit. Yes I was hoping to run it by her.

"The nuclear option?" Jacob asked, he was not too sure what I was referring to. Evelyn turned to him,

"It's a clause in a very recent law that sort of screws up six hundred years of history. One that has only ever been applied once."

"Crown V Twomey." I pointed out. Evelyn nodded, a case which had been controversial to say the least.

"Yes that's the one, but are sure you want to do this? It's risky." She warned. I knew that, but then again I wasn't going to see the trial fall apart, not with what I already knew. Though Evelyn was right of course, it was not a good path to travel on.

"I just wanted to make sure it was justified."

"A tampered jury and attempted perjury probably give you justification to strange Peterson and, Brandon did you say?" Evelyn asked suddenly with a quizzical tone.

"Yes, then again you'd know about strangling." Evelyn had once had an enraged defendant charge at her, unfortunately he had climbed from the witness box and been thrown off the bench, then she _accidently _dropped two very heavy law books on his groin. There had been another incident with another barrister but all she said was she needed to get her husband a new cane, and left it there.

"I would, I've been too tempted. Now speaking of tempted, more drinks?"

Crown V Tate 

"I spent yesterday evening consulting with wiser counsel, I have thankfully decided upon a solution to the problem." I was looking over the courtroom, I had been up all night thinking about this and decided it was worth using. I had no option now.

"Members of the Jury." I turned to them with a tender voice "You have put up with too much and for that reason I discharge you and relieve you of Jury Duty for the rest of your lives. You may go." I noticed Peterson sigh, he obviously thought the trial was over and maybe so did Alice.

"Don't move." I ordered to the counsel while the Jury filed out, I took a deep breath.

"It seems that I have been given no option and I must walk a path that has only been walked by one other." All eyes were on me now.

"So under the Criminal Justice Act 2003, I discharge the jury and have decided to proceed in absence of them." As of now in this trial, there would be no Jury. I would be both Judge and Jury now.


	11. Time off

My Lady

It took a few seconds for my words to sink in, a juryless trial being declared was not something done often. Well only once in England since Great Britain was formed in 1707. Knowing that date was one of the few things I remembered from one of the many exams I had to take to get into this country.

"My Lady, I must protest this abrupt and frightening decision." Alice was on her feet before anyone else, of course she wanted a Jury trial. She had been putting on a show for the Jury since day one and me being the one in charge put a serious dampener on that. Especially since she had told me some actual truth behind the trial, it was hard not to be wary when the person deciding the fate of your client also knew no one had any idea what happened. Though her point needed to be miraculous and most likely result in Jasper surrendering , The supposedly dead witnesses returning and an very clear apology from every member of the family.

"You may do so Miss Brandon but seeing as the Jury has been tampered with twice now you will need a very persuasive argument." I sighed looking down at her from the bench. Alice paused for a moment as she considered her position. The Jury system had been in effect for over four hundred years and this would be the second exception to the rule.

"My client has a right to a Jury trial, it is a fundamental right that no one should limit, even you My Lady. " Alice tried "It a fundamental constitutional principle." It wasn't a terrible point to make but it lacked legal substance. Or an actual codified constitution.

"A constitutional principle in the country I used to live in, not the one we are residing in. Now there is also legal precedent for this and it is permitted under the 2003 Criminal Justice Act. I do however understand it is near unexplored territory. Though in defence of this decision the Magna Carta was not written with you two in mind. So my decision stands, there will no jury for the remainder of this trial." I retorted in a slow booming tone which caused a very reluctant Alice to finally sit down.

"The Crown has no objections." Peterson announced having been discussing my sudden decision with his various assistants for the past few minutes, I nodded at him to sit down.

"Well then we are all on the same page, unless Miss Brandon wishes to seek my leave for appeal. I would of course grant such a motion but I warn you the appeal courts have already approved a similar case." I warned looking over to Alice who shook her head somewhat angrily.

"Excellent, now both of you stand up." I demanded and with some confusion both rose to their feet.

"After all I've seen during this trial I want to make this clear, both of you drop the fireworks. By that I mean drop the emotional witnesses, lose the dramatic effects and sudden declarations of protest. I am the only gallery you will perform to , and as you should know emotion is deliberately ignored by Judges. So I want the facts and nothing else." I instructed in a dark tone, I had put up with perjury, contempt and now I was ending it.

"Yes My Lady." Both repeated looking at each other like guilty children .They both were very close to the mentality in fairness, well as lawyers and Alice I had a feeling was not as trained in English Law at least not any recent form. As for Peterson well no one liked him.

"Thank you, now sit down and I'm going to recite the facts. If you want to reinforce them with new witnesses, don't. I am giving you the undisputed facts, with the known disputes. So shut up and either change my mind or leave them alone." I continued and both sat down.

"Now the facts as I know them, Jane Tate and her boyfriend were sharing a home. Allegations of abuse exist by the prosecution and they are supported by a witness , though another has recanted, who may be acting under duress. Jane Tate, who is of good character, denies the abuse and was found with the body of her boyfriend. Force was used to kill said boyfriend and yes I am disregarding the argument she could not have committed the murder. Her fingerprints were also found on the murder weapon but there could be various explanations for that, now there's the facts and the circumstantial evidence is not worth mentioning now, there's no time and frankly I don't want to, but I will of course consider it. Now those were the facts of a trial which has lasted almost two weeks, prosecution continue. Though the Landlord is out due to whatever influence was upon him." I concluded, it was not a good thing to realise just how little either side had gotten around too in two weeks.

"In which case, with your leave My Lady, I would like to call the charging officer who also carried out the interview." Well I would be hearing the evidence no one else got around too, thankfully this time there was a lot less chance of someone getting to me. Jasper Hale had better know better than to try and threaten a Judge.

"You may do so, on Monday when we resume. I think we've all had enough for one week," I met no objections.

"Be upstanding in court, all business before her honour, Justice of this court, is concluded. God Save The Queen."

Later - Bella

Well I never thought I'd see the day when Jacob was with a woman, it seemed I had lost the gay bet with Sam for real this time. It was a shame, but hey it was a lost cause from the moment I saw him dancing with that barrister the other night. Who'd have thought she would have stalked him to a club after Jacob insisted he make good on his promise to Judge Snow. The only problem was it left me alone, the only Judge who would ever dream of coming with me to a club was Judge Taylor, Evelyn's husband and she would kill me for encouraging her husband's never ending crisis.

"Is this seat taken?" A soft humble voice caused me to turn from my seat at the bar, the loud music all but masked the voice of none other than Alice Cullen who was looking like she had been hit by several trains. She took the seat next to me and slumped into it.

"You don't seem to mind." I muttered taking a sip of drink, I could pretty much feel Jacob glaring at me.

"Are we allowed to talk?" Alice asked eventually and I scoffed, oh so now she was worried about the rules.

"Perjury, contempt and perverting the course of Justice are three rules which have been broken during these past two weeks, Are you going to draw the line at talking to a Judge?" I asked sarcastically with an almost friendly smile. Alice however did not take it in the same way it seemed.

"You know I never wanted any of it to happen," she looked at me sadly, I nodded.

"I know, but things happen Alice. Things like Vampires causing me to call for a Juryless trial, but I'm not here to talk about Law, not tonight." I looked at the girl sadly, she looked the same. I had aged over the years and yet she was untouched by time.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Alice asked, we had pretty much spoken about nothing but the law and most of the time I hadn't been overly kind.

"You, me. Anything and everything. You can start by telling me what you're ex- husband did, I thought you guys mated for life." I suppose it had been a pressing issue for me, something that had just bothered me. Alice for her part simply sighed.

"What didn't happen?" She grumbled, "Sometimes Bella things don't work out and you wake up realising you made a big mistake and not knowing any way to fix it." So Vampire couples had the same problems as normal ones? That was a shock, it was certainly something I had never thought of occurring. Then again in my vampire romance days I was far to obsessed to consider the far reaching implications.

"I never saw it like that." I sighed half to myself lamenting on the person I used to be.

"Neither did I, but hey things happen. It turns out I'm not exactly into the other half." I turned her then,

"You're a lesbian?" I questioned, I had never thought of her as gay. Though I had only seen her as a married woman. She nodded.

"It puts a dampener on married life. Well not here." Of course, gay marriage was legal here. Had been since the Marriage Act in January 2014.

"You with anyone?" I asked, she shook her head.

"No, in all honesty I never get the chance. Since you we've been a lot more quiet in human terms, Jane was the first woman Edward found since you. And look what a mess he made." Alice growled, it was clear then. She had restricted herself because of what happened with me, the drink managed to hide the stab of guilt.

"Well look at the bright side." I told her seeing the bright side for the first time,

"What?" Alice demanded sounding incredulous.

"We saw each other again and let's face it you're my favourite Cullen."

"Really?" Alice questioned in a disbelieving tone. There wasn't much competition.

"Esme and Carlisle deliberately committed perjury, regardless of who set it up. Emmet I haven't seen in years, Edward enough said and how long did it take me to get Rosalie to apologise?" I explained slowly. Alice grinned.

"She's still bitching about that." Her admission didn't surprise me, Rosalie was not the forgiving type.

"I can imagine." That was all I could say to that one.

"What about you? Do you have anyone?" Alice asked, for a moment I paused. No I didn't, something Evelyn was continually going on about.

"No, it's quite hard to meet new people when your social life involves wine on a Thursday and not much else, work takes up most of my time and when I'm not working I'm getting ready for work or sleeping." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders in an attempt to act as if it was nothing. It didn't bother me. Or at least I didn't think it bothered me, having to think about things other than work was required to let things bother me.

"You need to get out more." Alice smiled, I knew that, in fact everyone seemed to know that.

"You try getting out more as a Judge, I think the only reason they pay us so much is so they can get it back in inheritance tax. I have never met a Judge not in a mid life crisis who actually spent any of it." I joked.

"How much do you get paid?" Alice asked,

"Around one hundred and seventy thousand pounds per year, it's something else in dollars." I told her, I had no idea what that meant in economics but I didn't care enough to find out.

"Well in that case you can get the drinks." Alice told me and with a gentle chuckle I called over the bartender to order another round. Jacob was still with the woman but he had seen Alice, he looked ready to spring into action at any moment.

"I see your pet doesn't like me." Alice smirked and I shook my head

"His name is Jacob, and he's not a fan of you or your brother in general. He'll warm up to you, or not. It depends how much more you annoy me." I sighed, since the Jury incident he had been ready to defend me to the death every second of the day.

"I'll try not to." Alice told me earnestly and for the first time I believed her fully.


End file.
